Cloning adult animals - what is the genetic age of the clones?
The rapid progress in cloning research along with its many ramifications will soon have a significant beneficial impact on basic research, agriculture, and biomedicine. However, for the nuclear transfer technology to reach its fullest potential, it is important to understand whether the cloning procedure can reverse cellular aging and generate clones with normal genetic and physiological age, similar to those produced from natural reproduction. Telomere shortening is believed to correlate with cellular aging both in vitro and in vivo. Telomere lengths in cells of cloned individuals thus may reflect their genetic age. However, controversies have developed over whether the eroded telomere in somatic cells used for nuclear transfer can be restored during the cloning process.
Yang
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Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology Center, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA. jyang@canr.uconn.edu
Tian
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D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods; D002455:Cell Division; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016922:Cellular Senescence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D019976:Cloning, Organism / Q000379:methods*; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000502:physiology*; D005821:Genetic Techniques; D008322:Mammals; D053652:Nuclear Transfer Techniques; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism; D016615:Telomere / Q000648:ultrastructure*
D019098:Telomerase