Playful pups conceived via in vitro fertilization for the first time
Embryo success could pave way to save endangered species and rid dogs of heritable diseases
By Meghan Rosen
Test tube puppies have arrived.
For the first time, a dog has given birth to a litter of puppies conceived by in vitro fertilization, scientists report December 9 in PLOS ONE.
The success could make it easier for wildlife conservationists to help such endangered species as the African painted dog or the Ethiopian wolf, says study coauthor Alexander Travis, a reproductive biologist at Cornell University. IVF could also help scientists one day rid dogs of heritable diseases, such as urinary stones in dalmatians: After creating an embryo in a dish, scientists could use gene editing to fix troublesome mutations.