In 2005, a milestone in biotechnology was achieved with the birth of Snuppy, the world’s first cloned dog. Snuppy, an Afghan hound, captured global attention and was named TIME magazine’s “Invention of the Year.” The successful cloning of a dog, a species that had presented challenges to scientists, opened a new chapter in genetic research.
The Creation of Snuppy
Snuppy was created through Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT). This process involved taking a skin cell from the ear of a three-year-old male Afghan hound named Tai and transferring its nucleus into an egg cell that had its own nucleus removed. The reconstructed embryo was then stimulated to develop, creating a genetic copy of the donor.
The procedure was performed by researchers at Seoul National University (SNU) in South Korea, and the name “Snuppy” is a combination of “SNU” and “puppy.” The team implanted 1,095 embryos into 123 surrogate mothers to produce just two pregnancies. Snuppy was born from one of these pregnancies via caesarean section to a yellow Labrador surrogate.
The Scientific Significance
The creation of Snuppy was an important event because dogs were considered difficult to clone. Their reproductive biology, including a complex ovulation cycle, had thwarted previous attempts by other research groups. The success at Seoul National University demonstrated that these obstacles could be overcome, paving the way for advancements in canine genetics.
Researchers suggested that cloned dogs could serve as models for studying diseases that affect both canines and humans, such as diabetes and cancer. The ability to clone dogs also opened possibilities for preserving the genetics of exceptional working animals and for the conservation of endangered canid species.
Life and Legacy
Snuppy lived a normal and healthy life for a decade at Seoul National University. In 2008, he demonstrated that clones could reproduce successfully when he fathered ten puppies through artificial insemination with two other cloned female hounds. This event helped to dispel concerns about the long-term health and viability of cloned animals.
Snuppy passed away at the age of 10 from hemangiosarcoma, a type of cancer. His cell donor, Tai, had died from the same cancer at age 12, providing data for scientists studying the genetic predisposition to certain diseases.
Snuppy’s existence was confirmed as a genuine clone through independent analysis. This was important because the project’s lead scientist, Hwang Woo-suk, was later at the center of a scandal involving fabricated research, but Snuppy’s authenticity was upheld. His legacy is the foundation he laid for the commercial pet cloning industry.