In 2002, French scientists produced the world’s first cloned rabbit. But that rabbit was created by using the ovum cumulus cells from an adult female rabbit. How boring. In February, China created the first cloned rabbit using the somatic cells from a rabbit fetus and Tuesday, state media announced that the rabbit had passed its molecular biology test at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. The test both confirms the experiment’s success and legitimizes a new breakthrough method of cloning. For those unfamiliar with fibroblast cellular fetal cloning, here’s the explanation from the head scientist on the project Dr. Li Shangang:

Fibroblast cells from fetal rabbits can be cultured for longer periods than those from adult rabbits; so they are better materials for gene modification and gene targeting research… The advantage is that rabbits reproduce so quickly. Combined with the cloning technique, this would allow researchers to create genetically modified rabbits for medical research very quickly.

It seems that rabbits don’t only fuck fast, but they clone fast too. China cloned its first animal in 2000 and while Chinese scientists have replicated animals using existing cloning technology, this year’s rabbit is China’s first using original cloning methods.

•China Daily: Cloned Rabbit Fine Five Months After Birth

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