Act required Pet ownership and management
Scientists at the National University of Jeju in South Korea were responsible for cloning
BEIJING | Wednesday June 16, 2010 Notimex | El Universal
Scientists at the National University of Jeju in South Korea were able to clone a calf through frozen cells of a dead bull, researchers reported today the project, which will open new horizons in genetics.
Park Se-pill, a professor of bioengineering at the University of Jeju and in charge of the investigation, said that the successful cloning procedure allowed the birth of a healthy black calf, a somatic cell preserved.
The cells were taken from the ear of a bull after the animal was killed two years ago, said the expert, according to a report by South Korea's official news agency Yonhap.
Investigators said one of the cells, specially processed, was implanted in a cow that gave birth to a calf in September.
"Tests conducted by scientists from other biotechnology laboratories confirmed that the calf had identical genetic structures to the dead bull, "the Yonhap report.
The project had a cost of two thousand 250 million won (1.85 million dollars), provided by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Jeju Province, in southern China.
The success of this cloning, considered part of an ongoing effort by South Korea to preserve the indigenous species of livestock, will open new horizons in research of this technique.
South Korea is considered a pioneer in the commercial cloning, mainly dogs, so many people pay up to $ 100 000 to have a genetically identical replica of a dead pet.
