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China Heralds Year of the Fluorescent Green Pig

Posted by Zonk on from the please-avoid-the-green-eggs-and-ham-jokes dept.

Apocalypse111 writes "Chinese scientists have successfully bred partially green fluorescent pigs which they hope will boost stem cell research. A research team at the Northeast Agricultural University in Harbin managed to breed three transgenic pigs by injecting fluorescent green protein into embryonic pigs. Xinhua quoted Professor Liu Zhonghua as saying. 'The mouth, trotters and tongue of the pigs are green under ultraviolet light'."

1 of 112 comments (clear)

  1. How being green helps by Propaganda13 · · Score: 3, Informative

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4605202.st m
    Below is the info I wanted to know that's not included in MSNBC link

    The scientists will use the transgenic pigs to study human disease. Because the pig's genetic material encodes a protein that shows up as green, it is easy to spot.

    So if, for instance, some of its stem cells are injected into another animal, scientists can track how they develop without the need for a biopsy or invasive test.