Prospector

Glow-in-the-dark Cats

Scientists have genetically modified cat clones to give them magic powers to glow under UV light, fight crime read HDTV signals - or something like that.

Here are some excerpts from the Telegraph UK online article:

Scientists have genetically modified three kittens so they appear fluorescent under ultra-violet light in a procedure which could help develop treatments for human genetic diseases.

The fluffy white Turkish Angora cats now glow red when exposed to ultraviolet light and the scientists believe the process could be used to develop treatments for a range of genetic illnesses. The technology can also help clone endangered animals like tigers, leopards and wildcats.

To clone the cats the team used skin cells of the mother cat and modified its genes to make them fluorescent by using a virus, which was transplanted into the ova. The ova were then implanted into the womb of the donor cat.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Science and Technology in Seoul said: "The ability to produce cloned cats with the manipulated genes is significant as it could be used for developing treatments for genetic diseases and for reproducing model animals suffering from the same diseases as humans.

Mr Il-keun said: "This technology can be applied to clone animals suffering from the same diseases as humans. It will also help develop stemcell treatments."

Glow-in-the-dark cat could help cut disease - Telegraph

See also Transgenic Glow Pigs

Labels: Glowing Animals

posted by Prospector @ 8:58 AM