Chinese Scientists Develop Chimera Monkey

• 17 Nov 2023

Chinese scientists have successfully developed a chimera monkey, featuring distinctive attributes like green eyes and glowing fingertips, through an experimental process involving two sets of DNA.

Key Points

• Unprecedented Experiment: The primate, a long-tailed macaque, is the world's first live birth of a chimeric monkey created using stem cells from two genetically distinct fertilized eggs of the same species.
• Ten-Day Survival: The lab-born chimera monkey survived for 10 days before being euthanized, marking a significant advancement in experimental genetic research.
• Medical Research Potential: The researchers note that the live birth chimera demonstrated a substantial contribution of stem cells to the brain, suggesting potential applications in modeling neurodegenerative diseases.
• Conservation Implications: The study co-authorhighlights the significant conservation value of monkey chimeras, especially for endangered species. The approach could potentially contribute to species conservation efforts through breeding.
• Cell Contribution Variation: The chimeric monkey exhibited a range of cell contributions, with percentages varying from 21% to 92%. Brain tissues showed the highest percentage of donated stem cells.
• Historical Context: While chimeric mice have been created since the 1960s, this achievement represents a pioneering step in creating chimeric monkeys with unique and observable traits.
• Biomedical Research Background: Chimeric mice, a common presence in biomedical research, have paved the way for this groundbreaking experiment in primate genetics.