The cloning of Dolly the Sheep in 1996 at the Roslin Institute in Scotland marked a groundbreaking moment in genetic engineering. Led by Ian Wilmut and his team, this feat was achieved using somatic cell nuclear transfer, a process where a nucleus from an adult sheep's mammary gland cell was inserted into an egg cell with its nucleus removed.
The resulting embryo developed into Dolly, who was born on July 5, 1996. Dolly was a genetic duplicate of the adult sheep, proving that an animal could be cloned from an adult cell. This experiment challenged previous beliefs about cell differentiation and development.
Dolly lived for six years, less than the average sheep lifespan, and developed a lung disease common in older sheep, as well as arthritis. Her relatively short life raised questions about the long-term health and viability of cloned animals.
Following Dolly, there were further cloning experiments leading to the birth of other animals, including cows, pigs, deer, and horses. Each experiment provided valuable insights into the cloning process and its potential applications, as well as the ethical and health considerations involved.
