Talking about cloning is a current topic and a technique that is increasingly in demand. This is why companies such as Ovohorse & Ovoclone, specialists in equine reproduction and animal cloning, are becoming more and more present in society, as this process makes it possible to obtain a practically identical genetic replica of the specimen.
Although, without a doubt, it is in the equestrian world where cloning is experiencing significant growth, since, for example, it allows riders to ride clones of renowned horses at a much lower cost than purchasing the original specimen, while owners have the opportunity to keep their horse and sell its clones.
Ovohorse & Ovoclone are experts in carrying out this genetic replication. The process consists of taking the nucleus of the somatic cell from the specimen to be cloned (donor) and transferring it into an enucleated recipient oocyte. This technique is called somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT).
Proof that a cloned horse can be just 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”, had an outstanding sporting career, winning numerous prizes, including a 4th place at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
How is a horse cloned?
For the cloning technique (not only of horses but of all mammals), the so-called adult somatic cells are used, such as skin cells, fat tissue cells, or those derived from bone marrow. This has always been a field of research that has 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, since although essentially all horse cells have the same DNA (except for gametes), there are different factors that influence the efficiency of the cloning process, such as epigenetics (gene expression depending on the environment), the age and health status of the donor animal, and the ease of cultivating and preserving these cells.
The selection of the donor cell is vital for the success of cloning
As mentioned, the donor cell is the one that comes from the specimen to be cloned, that is, the genetic material that is to be replicated. In principle, any cell with the correct chromosomes (horses have 64 chromosomes) can be used as a donor cell, but the most common practice is to use cells from parts of the body that do not put the animal’s health at risk at the time of collection. For this reason, skin-derived cells, known as fibroblasts, are normally used.
Preservation of cell lines
Once the cells have been obtained, they can be frozen, and if the procedure is carried out correctly, the cells can be preserved indefinitely. This makes it possible to preserve the cell line of our animals and to create genetic banks where these cell lines can be stored.
Ovohorse & Ovoclone are committed to preserving the cell lines of valuable stallions and mares, in order to keep their cellular qualities intact until the time comes to decide on cloning. 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.
