STEAM - Dolly the Cloned Lamb

Scientists at the Roslin Institute conducted experiments to create genetically modified livestock using a better method. They wanted to understand how cells change during development and if specialized cells could produce a whole new animal. Dolly, the first cloned sheep, was created by a team of scientists, embryologists, surgeons, vets, and farm staff. Dolly was cloned from a cell from a fin dorset sheep and an egg cell from a Scottish blackface sheep. Her white face indicated that she was a clone, as she would have had a black face if she was genetically related to her surrogate mother. She was named after the country singer Dolly Parton because her DNA came from a mammary gland cell. Making Dolly Dolly was part of a series of experiments at the Roslin Institute that were trying to develop a better method for producing genetically modified livestock. If successful, this would mean fewer animals would need to be used in future experiments. Scientists at Roslin also wanted to learn more about how cells change during development and whether a specialised cell, such as a skin or brain cell, could be used to make a whole new animal. These experiments were carried out at the Roslin Institute by a team led by Professor Sir Ian Wilmott. Because of the nature of the research, the team was made up of many different people including scientists, embryologists, surgeons, vets and farm staff. Dolly was cloned from a cell taken from the mammary gland of a six-year-old fin dorset sheep and an egg cell taken from a Scottish blackface sheep. She was born to her Scottish blackface surrogate mother on 5th July 1996. Dolly's white face was one of the first signs that she was a clone because if she was genetically related to her surrogate mother she would have a black face. Because Dolly's DNA came from a mammary gland cell, she was named after the country singer Dolly Parton.