Production of Boer goat (Capra hircus) by nuclear transfer of cultured and cryopreserved fibroblast cells into slaughterhouse-derived oocytes

Abstract

The present study reports a birth of goat clone produced by nuclear transfer of cultured and cryopreserved fibroblast cells into slaughterhouse-derived oocytes. The donors of somatic cells were fibroblasts derived from the ear skin of a Boer goat while the recipient ooplasm was <I>in vitro</I> matured oocytes of Huanghuai white goat, an Anhui native goat species. The reconstructed embryos were cultured <I>in vitro</I> and then the morphologically normal embryos were transferred to the surrogates. The reconstructed embryos were surgically transferred into 37 recipient surrogates, Huanghuai white goats with natural oestrus. Five of them were treated with hCG after transfer. Among them, one was pregnant and gave birth to a live kid. Due to the improper delivery aid, the cloned kid died accidentally after birth. The cloned kid was then anatomised to observe the viscera development, and the results showed that the organs were normal. Paraffin tissue slices were prepared and stained to ensure the viscera development further, and the results suggested that the organs also developed well in spite of incipient hydropericardium. The microsatellite analysis identified the cloning. It is suggested that the optimised nuclear transfer protocol and proper hCG treatment lead to the successful birth of a goat clone.