Dolly the sheep
An adult cell is reset to the beginning
See it on the timeline →In depth
The significance lay in the principle: a cell's specialisation is reversible. That led directly to induced pluripotent stem cells a decade later, which allow stem cells to be made from a skin sample without embryos — and so sidestep much of the ethical dispute cloning itself provoked. Dolly also prompted the first national bans on human cloning.
For children
Dolly was made from a cell taken from an adult sheep, not from a fertilised egg. Everyone had believed a specialised cell could not become a whole new animal again. Dolly showed that it could.
Sources
This event has no source references yet. Do you know where it is well attested — a book, an article, a reference work? We would very much like to hear from you.
Help us with sourcesConnects to
Report a correction
Found something that does not hold? Tell us — sources help, but are not required.
Report a correctionPart of Terra Saga — the story of Earth on a timeline. terrasaga.org ·