Researchers at the Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have achieved a major breakthrough in the production of non-human primate experimental animal models. The team has successfully created the world‘s first high-ratio chimeric monkey using embryonic stem cells, with a donor embryonic stem cell proportion of as high as 70%. This achievement marks a significant milestone in the field of life medicine and has the potential to revolutionize medical research and development.
The chimeric monkey, born as a result of injecting the embryonic stem cells of monkey A into the inner cell mass of the embryo of monkey B, has raised great expectations in the scientific community. According to esteemed Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Academic Director of the Center for Excellence in Brain Intelligence, Poo Muming, the chimeric monkey results are as important as the cloned monkeys “Zhongzhong” and “Huahua” that appeared in the international academic journal “Cell” as cover articles in 2018.
Embryonic stem cells are unique in their ability to replicate indefinitely in vitro, making them an ideal tool for producing non-human primate experimental animal models carrying disease genes. The chimeric monkey achievement has the potential to pave the way for creating monkey models of several brain diseases as soon as possible. In fact, the team aims to prove the usefulness of monkey models for medical research and development within the next five years.
The successful development of chimeric monkeys with a high proportion of embryonic stem cells has also attracted the interest of multinational pharmaceutical companies. These companies have expressed their desire to establish pharmaceutical CRO companies in Shanghai, with the hopes of utilizing the advanced monkey models for their application. This marks the emergence of a future industry centered around the development and use of monkey models for medical research and drug development.
The research, titled “Birth-surviving chimera monkeys contributed by a high proportion of embryonic stem cells,” was published in the prestigious journal “Cell” in November 2023. The results of the study have been hailed as extraordinary, providing strong evidence that primate embryonic stem cells are capable of generating a high proportion of chimeric animals, a feat that had not been clearly demonstrated before.
In addition to its potential for medical research and development, the technology also holds great promise for the study of brain diseases. The team has already developed several different monkey models, with the aim of promoting the large-scale application of monkey models in the near future.
While the road to establishing monkey models of diseases may be long and challenging, the success of the chimeric monkey achievement has set the stage for groundbreaking advancements in medical research and development. This achievement is a testament to the dedication and innovation of the scientific community, and it holds the potential to significantly impact the future of life medicine.
This article has been written by Zhang Jiansong and Dong Xue, reporters of the “Outlook” News Weekly, and was published in Issue 03 of 2024.