In a groundbreaking and controversial experiment, scientists in China have successfully created a chimera monkey with unique features such as green eyes and glowing fingertips. The primate, created using two sets of DNA, survived for 10 days before being euthanised.
The research, which details the process of how the monkey was created, has been published in the journal Cell. According to a CNN report, this marks the world’s first live birth of a chimeric – or mixed – monkey with stem cells.
The primate was created using an unprecedented experiment, involving the combination of stem cells from two genetically distinct fertilized eggs from the same monkey species, a long-tailed macaque.
“It is encouraging that our live birth monkey chimera had a big contribution (of stem cells) to the brain, suggesting that indeed this approach should be valuable for modeling neurodegenerative diseases,” said study co-author Miguel Esteban, principal investigator at the Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health.
The presence of donated stem cells ranged from a low of 21 percent to a high of 92 percent in the animal, with the highest percentage seen in brain tissues, according to Science Alert.
This experimental technique, while still in its early stages, could ultimately benefit medical research and the conservation of species. The scientists noted that chimeric animals have potential enormous value for species conservation, particularly for endangered species. If the donor cells from an endangered species were to contribute to the germ line, it could lead to the production of offspring from these species.
Chimeric animals, specifically mice, have been created and used in biomedical research since the 1960s. However, the creation of a chimeric monkey represents a significant advancement in this area of science.
While the ethical implications of creating chimeric animals continue to be a point of discussion, the successful creation of the monkey chimera marks a significant milestone in scientific and medical research.