2024-08-13 09:21:00
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In an unprecedented scientific work in Spain, a group of researchers from the National Institute of Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA-CSIC) gave life to Teodoro, the first reformed lamb in the country.
This discovery, the result of a deliberate change in a gene with a potential role in the fertilization process, not only opens new perspectives in the study of reproductive failures in farm animals, but also provides an invaluable model to unravel the mysteries of fertilization in humans. feature.
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The role of animal models in reproductive biology
The development of genetically modified animal models has been important in the understanding of basic biological processes, including those related to reproduction. These models allow precise manipulation of specific genes, eliminating or mutating them to study their function directly and specifically..
Such changes open a unique window to observe how biological processes occur in the absence or presence of certain genes. This technique has been the cornerstone for discovering the functions of genes in various biological processes.
Until the advent of CRISPR technology, creating targeted gene mutations in animals other than mice was very complex and had low efficiency. For this reason, much of the knowledge about the molecular basis of many biological processes is obtained from studies with genetically modified mice. However, mouse physiology is not always representative of that of other animals, which limits its usefulness in certain studies.
CRISPR: Genetic engineering beyond the mouse
The INIA-CSIC research group has pioneered the use of CRISPR technology to introduce genetic mutations in embryos and ovine embryos, produced entirely in vitro. These changes have been used to study the function of important genes in various processes of learning development.
Although these studies can be carried out in the laboratory without the need to generate complete animals, in this case, research on fertilization methods requires obtaining results from modified animals. So, five months ago, The transfer of genetically modified embryos to sheep was carried out, culminating in the birth of Teodoro..
This type of research was preceded by other projects by the same group, such as the generation of rabbits lacking the ZP4 protein. This experiment is fundamental to explore the protective role of said protein during the early development of the embryo, demonstrating once again the importance of these models for the advancement of reproductive biology.
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A future full of possibilities
Among other things, these findings can be used to investigate why some human sperm fail to enter the egg, a problem that causes infertility in many couples.
Another example of the impact Teodoro’s research can have is in the study of failures in fetal development. By eliminating or altering certain genes in an animal, Scientists can observe how these changes affect the early stages of fetal development. These studies are important because many human pregnancies fail during the early stages due to genetic problems that are not yet fully understood.
So, Teodoro is not only a lamb, but a symbol of a new dawn in technological research. Through his existence, the doors were opened to a deeper understanding of fertilization and possible reproductive failures, both in animals and humans.
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