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How could modified chickens be used as surrogates in proposed dodo de-extinction research?
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de-extinction
The woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius)ārepresented here by a replica in a Canadian museumāis an example of an extinct species that someday could be resurrected through de-extinction.
In proposed research regarding the dodo, scientists plan to use genetically modified chickens as surrogates to facilitate the production of a colony of Nicobar pigeons, which are the dodo's closest living relatives.1
The process involves the following steps:
- Germ Cell Development: Researchers grow primordial germ cellsāthe precursors to sperm and egg cellsāderived from the Nicobar pigeon.1
- Surrogate Modification: These cells are introduced into chickens that have been genetically modified to carry them.1
- Colony Production: The chickens serve as surrogates to produce a colony of Nicobar pigeons.1
- Gene Editing: Once a colony is established, scientists intend to apply gene editing techniques to these birds, aiming to produce offspring that exhibit some of the dodo's physical characteristics.1
Whether these methods can successfully resurrect an extinct species remains a subject of significant scientific and ethical debate, particularly regarding the extent to which such modified animals can truly represent the original species.12