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Hereditas(Beijing) ›› 2020, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (10): 993-1003.doi: 10.16288/j.yczz.20-105

• Review • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Progress on abnormal development of cloned pigs generated by somatic cell transfer nuclear

Zheng Ao1(), Xiang Chen1, Zhenfang Wu2, Zicong Li2   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
    2. National Engineering Research Center for Swine Breeding Industry, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
  • Received:2020-04-16 Revised:2020-07-05 Online:2020-10-20 Published:2020-07-29
  • Supported by:
    Supported by the Scientific Research Project of Guizhou University Talents Fund (No. GDRJHZ-2019-21)

Abstract:

Cloning, also known as somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), is an asexual reproduction technique that reprograms differentiated cells to the totipotent state, and generates offspring with a genotype identical to the donor cells. Pig cloning technique holds great promise for propagating excellent breeding boars, generating genetically modified pigs, protecting rare and endangered pigs and studying the mechanisms of somatic cell nucleus reprogramming. However, cloned pigs suffer from various developmental defects, including low birth rate, low birth weight, and high stillbirth occurrence, neonatal mortality and congenital malformations, which severely hamper their applications. Errors in epigenetic reprogramming of donor nucleus are considered as the main causes of low cloning efficiency and abnormal embryonic development in cloned embryos and animals. However, most studies to correct the errors in epigenetic reprogramming of cloned pig embryos have not substantially improved the birth and survival rates of cloned pigs. In this review, we summarize the abnormal phenotypes, causes of abnormal development of cloned pigs and effective methods for improving pig cloning efficiency, thereby providing a reference for the future research to improve the development and survival rates of cloned pig embryos and cloned pigs.

Key words: SCNT, cloned pig, epigenetic reprogramming, abnormal development