Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer in Goat (Capra hircus)

Nuclear transfer is a very effective method for propagation of valuable, extinct and endangered animals. Hand-made cloning (HMC) is an effective alternative to the conventional micromanipulator based technique in some domestic species. The present study was carried out for the establishment of an effective enucleation method, for selection of suitable somatic cell as nuclear donor and for development of an optimum culture system for in vitro culture of zona free cloned embryos of goat (Capra hircus). An efficient chemically assisted enucleation procedure was established for goat HMC. Treatment of donor cells with roscovitine resulted in better hand-made cloned blastocyst yield. Production of hand-made cloned goat embryos was better with electric pulse activation than Ca ionophore activation. A highly effective culture system for the development of hand-made cloned goat embryos was established. Furthermore, fetal fibroblast cells proved to be better nuclear donor than fresh cumulus cells or cultured cumulus cells.