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Retro

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description Retro Overview

Retro is a rhesus macaque monkey born in July 2020 who was announced by Chinese researchers in early 2024 as the first healthy cloned rhesus macaque to survive to adulthood. Retro was created using somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), the same technique used to clone Dolly the sheep. The research team, led by scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shanghai, modified the technique by culturing the inner cell mass in a solution containing trophoblast stem cells, improving the development of the cloned embryo. Retro's successful cloning represents a significant development in primate research, as rhesus macaques are widely used in medical research.

help Retro FAQ

What is Retro the monkey known for?

Retro is a rhesus macaque who made history as the first healthy cloned monkey of its species to reach adulthood. Chinese researchers announced the successful clone in 2024.

How was Retro the monkey cloned?

Retro was created using a revised version of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), the same method used to clone Dolly the sheep. Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences modified the technique to ensure the embryo developed healthily.

Why is Retro's birth important to scientific research?

Cloning rhesus macaques is incredibly difficult, and Retro's success proves that viable cloned monkeys can be produced. This could eventually help scientists study complex human diseases using genetically uniform primate models.

Is Retro the first monkey ever successfully cloned?

No, the first monkeys ever cloned were identical long-tailed macaques named Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua in 2018. Retro is specifically the first successful clone of a rhesus macaque, a different and highly researched species.

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