Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

Cloned rabbits produced by nuclear transfer from adult somatic cells

Nature Biotechnology volume 20, pages 366–369 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

We have developed a method to produce live somatic clones in the rabbit, one of the mammalian species considered up to now as difficult to clone. To do so, we have modified current cloning protocols proven successful in other species by taking into account both the rapid kinetics of the cell cycle of rabbit embryos and the narrow window of time for their implantation after transfer into foster recipients. Although our method still has a low level of efficiency, it has produced several clones now proven to be fertile. Our work indicates that cloning can probably be carried out successfully in any mammalian species by taking into account physiological features of their oocytes and embryos. Our results will contribute to extending the use of rabbit models for biomedical research.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Confocal images of unicellular NT embryos immunolabeled with the anti-α-tubulin antibody (green) and DNA stained with propidium iodide (red).
Figure 2: Development of rabbit blastocysts reconstructed with cumulus cells or derived from in vivo–fertilized embryos.
Figure 3: Rabbits born from somatic nuclear transfer.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hoeg, J.M. et al. Overexpression of lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase in transgenic rabbits prevents diet-induced atherosclerosis. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93, 11448–11453 (1996).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Chen, J.M. et al. A combined analysis of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator: implications for structure and disease models. Mol. Biol. Evol. 18, 1771–1788 (2001).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Graur, D., Duret, L. & Gouy, M. Phylogenetic position of the order Lagomorpha (rabbits, hares and allies). Nature 379, 333–335 (1996).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Stinnackre, M.G., Massoud, M., Viglietta, C. & Houdebine, L.M. The preparation of recombinant proteins from mouse and rabbit milk for biomedical and pharmaceutical studies. In Trangenic animals, generation and use; (ed. Houdebine, L.M.) 461–463 (Harwood Academic Publishers, Amsterdam 1997).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Yin, X.J., Tani, T., Kato, Y. & Tsunoda, Y. Development of rabbit parthenogenetic oocytes and nuclear-transferred oocytes receiving cultured cumulus cells. Theriogenology 54, 1460–1476 (2000).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Dinnyés, A. et al. Development of cloned embryos from adult rabbit fibroblasts: effect of activation treatment and donor cell preparation. Biol. Reprod. 64, 257–263 (2001).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Bromhall, J.D. Nuclear transplantation in the rabbit egg. Nature 258, 719–722 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Wakayama, T., Perry, A.C., Zuccotti, M., Johnson, K.R. & Yanagimachi, R. Full-term development of mice from enucleated oocytes injected with cumulus cell nuclei. Nature 394, 369–374 (1998).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Wells, D.N., Misica, P.M. & Tervit, H.R. Production of cloned calves following nuclear transfer with cultured adult mural granulosa cells. Biol. Reprod. 60, 996–1005 (1999).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Campbell, K.H.S., Loi, P., Otaegui, P.J. & Wilmut, I. Cell cycle co-ordination in embryo cloning by nuclear transfer. Rev. Reprod. 1, 40–46 (1996).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Soloy, E. et al. Time course of pronuclear deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis in parthenogenetically activated bovine oocytes. Biol. Reprod. 57, 27–35 (1997).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Meyer, L. & Kim, S.H. Chemical inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases. Methods Enzymol. 283, 113–128 (1997).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Szöllösi, D. Time and duration of DNA synthesis in rabbit eggs after sperm penetration. Anat. Rec. 154, 209–212 (1966).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Denker, H.W. Implantation: the role of proteinases and blockage of implantation by proteinase inhibitors. Adv. Anat. Embryol. Cell Biol. 53, 1–123 (1981).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Heape, W. Preliminary note on the transplantation and growth of mammalian ova within a uterine foster-mother. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A/B 48, 457–458 (1890).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Chang, M.C. Development and fate of transferred rabbit ova or blastocysts in relation to the ovulation time of recipients. J. Exp. Zool. 114, 197–226 (1950).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Ozil, J.P. & Huneau, D. Activation of rabbit oocytes: the impact of the Ca2+ signal regime on development. Development 128, 917–928 (2001).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Hoffman, L.H., Olson G.E., Carson, D.D. & Chilton, B.S. Progesterone and implanting blastocysts regulate MUC1 expression in rabbit uterine epithelium. Endocrinology 139, 266–271 (1998).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Adenot, P.G., Szöllösi, M.S., Chesné, P., Chastant, S. & Renard, J.P. In vivo aging of oocytes influences the behavior of nuclei transferred to enucleated rabbit oocytes. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 46, 325–336 (1997).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Gottschewski, G.H.M. & Zimmermann, W. Die Embryonalentwicklung des Hauskaninchens. Normogenese und Teratogenese. Ch. 3.3,103–117 (M. & H. Schaper, Hannover; 1973).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank C. Thibault for his constant support to our work, C. Viebahn for stimulating discussions, the staff from our rabbit facility for their critical role in the care of recipients and cloned kits, C. Poirier for assistance in embryo transfer, E. Campion for the recovery and fixation of D8 embryos, and C. Young and B. Nicolas for help during the preparation of the manuscript. This work was supported by a grant from the Association Française de Lutte contre la Mucoviscidose (AFLM).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unité de Biologie du Développement et Biotechnologie, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Jouy-en-Josas, F-78352, France

    Patrick Chesné, Pierre G. Adenot, Céline Viglietta, Laurent Boulanger & Jean-Paul Renard

  2. Unité Commune d'Expérimentation Animale, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Jouy-en-Josas, F-78352, France

    Michel Baratte

Authors
  1. Patrick Chesné
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Pierre G. Adenot
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Céline Viglietta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Michel Baratte
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Laurent Boulanger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Jean-Paul Renard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jean-Paul Renard.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chesné, P., Adenot, P., Viglietta, C. et al. Cloned rabbits produced by nuclear transfer from adult somatic cells. Nat Biotechnol 20, 366–369 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0402-366

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0402-366

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing