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From: w.p.coyne@uk.ac.newcastle
Newsgroups: sci.bio,sci.med
Subject: Semi-artificial life.
Message-ID: <1991Apr10.074432.7267@newcastle.ac.uk>
Date: 10 Apr 91 07:44:32 GMT
Sender: w.p.coyne@uk.ac.newcastle
Reply-To: w.p.coyne@uk.ac.newcastle
Organization: Chemical & Process Engineering Dept, University of Newcastle, UK.
Lines: 23


                Semi-Artificial Life
In the 1960's John Gurdon did a nuclear transfer experiment.  He took the
nucleii of cells lining the gut of tadpoles of the toad Xenopus and inserted
them into toad eggs from which the nucleii had been effectively removed by
irradiation.
   90% died with no development,
   6.5% died with some divisions,
   2.5% died in the early tadpole stage,
   1% reached the adult stage.
 
I don't know whether those which reached the adult stage lived normal length
lives.
Has this been done with 'higher life-forms' such as humans, apes, pigs, dogs
etc?  
It would seen from this that cloning is technologically possible.
.............................................................
Department of Process and Chemical Engineering,  +
Newcastle University, United Kingdom.            + "If we breed like rabbits,
                                                 +  in the long run we have
JANET: W.P.Coyne@uk.ac.newcastle                 +  we have to die like
UUCP : ...!ukc!newcastle.ac.uk!W.P.Coyne         +  rabbits" Carlson on
ARPA : W.P.Coyne@newcastle.ac.uk                 +  population growth.