Talking about cloning is a current topic and an increasingly demanded technique. This is why companies like Ovohorse & Ovoclone, specialized in equine reproduction and animal cloning, are becoming more present in society. Thanks to this process, a genetically identical replica of the specimen can be obtained.
Undoubtedly, it is in the equestrian world where cloning is experiencing significant growth, as it allows riders, for example, to ride clones of renowned horses at a much lower cost than acquiring the original specimen. It also gives owners the opportunity to preserve their horse, while being able to sell the clones.
Ovohorse & Ovoclone are experts in carrying out this genetic replica. The process consists of taking the nucleus of the somatic cell of the animal to be cloned (donor) and transferring it into a nucleus-free receptor egg. This technique is called somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT).
Proof that a cloned horse can be as good as the original is the victory of the stallion “Otterongo Alpha Z,” a 9-year-old KWPN, who won the CSI5*-W 1.55m Grand Prix in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The original horse, “Otterongo Van de Kopshoeve,” was a horse with a great sporting career, having won numerous awards, including a 4th place at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
¿Cómo se realiza la clonación de un caballo?
For the cloning technique (not only for horses, but for all mammals), adult somatic cells are used, such as skin cells, fat tissue cells, or those derived from bone marrow. This has been a research field that has always generated great interest, especially since the creation of “Dolly,” the famous cloned sheep.
However, studies in this field still have a long way to go, as despite the fact that, in essence, all horse cells have the same DNA (except for the gametes), there are different factors that influence the efficiency of the cloning process, such as epigenetics (the expression of genes depending on the environment), the age of the donor animal and its health condition, and the ease of cultivating and preserving these cells.
La selección de la célula donante es vital para el éxito de la clonación
As mentioned, the donor cell comes from the specimen to be cloned, meaning it is the genetic material to be replicated. In principle, any cell with the correct chromosomes (horses have 64 chromosomes) can be used as a donor cell, but it is most common to use cells from any part of the body that do not jeopardize the animal’s health at the time of collection. Therefore, skin-derived cells, known as fibroblasts, are typically used.
Preservación de líneas celulares
Once the cells are obtained, they can be frozen, and if the procedure is performed correctly, the cells can be maintained in this state indefinitely. This allows for the preservation of the cell line of our animals and the creation of genetic banks to store the cell lines.
Ovohorse & Ovoclone are committed to the preservation of cell lines from valuable horses and mares, to keep their cellular qualities intact until the decision is made to clone. It is important to understand that genetic preservation must be carried out while the animals are alive and healthy, whereas the decision to clone can be made in the future.
