Artificial Embryo Twinning

• Fertilised egg (zygote) created by IVF, divides by mitosis to form cell balls, which are separated and each placed into uterus of surrogate mother
• In Cattle...

  • Cow with desirable traits is treated with hormones so she super ovulates, releases more ova than normal
  • Early embryos are gently flushed out of uterus, mature eggs are removed and fertilised by top quality bull semen in lab
  • Before/around day 6, early embryo cells (totipotent) are split to produce several smaller ones, each capable of growing to form healthy full-term calf
  • Each split embryo is grown in lab for a few days before being implanted into surrogate mothers where they are born normally (clones of eachother)