Cloning closer to home

Chinese Academy of Sciences researchers showed epigenetic modification is key for successful cloning of cynomolgus monkeys, overcoming the technical hurdles that have stalled the generation of live non-human primates despite success in 23 other mammalian species. The research could lead to disease models for drug discovery and development that offer both proximity to human biology and genetic uniformity.

According to the Chinese Academy team, previous attempts to clone monkeys have likely failed because of inappropriate nuclear reprogramming in embryos generated by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), a procedure in which a donor cell nucleus is transferred into an enucleated oocyte...