CHINESE researchers have developed a novel technology for semi-cloning in zebrafish, according to a recent research article published in the journal Cell Research.

Semi-cloning represents a unique approach to generating individual animals, while zebrafish serve as a key model organism for studying vertebrate development and diseases.

The researchers from the CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science used fresh haploid cells at the blastocyst stage to generate fertile semi-cloned zebrafish. After optimization, the success rate increased to around 30%. This technology yields semi-cloned zebrafish with uniform traits. By performing multiplex gene editing in haploid embryos, it enables one-step generation of donor cells with various genotype combinations and produces both male and female semi-cloned zebrafish.

The findings render the semi-cloning system a valuable platform for zebrafish genetic analysis, said the CAS. (Xinhua)