First cloned horseIn 2003, the first cloned horse was born in a natural delivery. It is also the first cloned mammal born to its genetic mother. The foal, called Prometea, was created in the lab by fusing an adult skin cell and an empty egg then returning the resulting embryo to the female's womb after a few days. The cloning was accomplished by Prof Cesare Galli, of the Laboratory of Reproductive Technologies, Cremona, Italy. It was the only successful one of 328 reconstructed embryos. DNA tests confirmed that she is genetically identical to her mother and twin. Although clones are currently banned from racing, tissue from many top animals has been stored for cloning. The birth was announced in Nature on 7 Aug 2003. |