Chinanews, Beijing, Aug. 1 – Last month, the National Center for Molecular Genetics and Breeding of Animals announced that the world's first body cell cloned rabbit had been born in Beijing. So far, the cloned rabbit is in a healthy condition and its weight has now reached 2 kilograms, the Beijing Science and Technology News reported.Body cells cloning technology has always been regarded as a breakthrough in cloning technology. In 1996, when the first body cells cloned sheep Dolly was born, the news excited the whole world. Since then, scientists have been wondering how they can produce a cloned rabbit through body cells cloning technology. The cloned rabbit born in Beijing is the first cloned rabbit through body cells cloning technology.Dr. Li Shangang, who initiated the research, chose to use the foetus rabbit to do his experiment. The pregnant cycle for this foetus rabbit was 20 days. He took the body cells from the back skin of the rabbit for cultivation. The cultivated cells were then induced with serum hungry treatment. The nucleus, which carried genetic materials, was then injected into the enucleated oocytes of a rabbit embryo. When the embryo split into 4 embryonic cells, the cells were then injected into the womb of a female rabbit. The cells, after growing in the womb for 28-32 days, finally produced a cloned rabbit. Scientists got the cloned rabbit by applying caesarean section to the parent rabbit.“When the cloned rabbit was born, it looked blue all over. There were wrinkles all over its body. However, when it grew up, it really looks cute now,” Professor Li said. Before, he always wore a serious look on his face. When talking about the baby rabbit, his face began to show a glimpse of smile. “The world’s first body cells cloned rabbit now has pure white furs all over its body. It now weighs 2 kilograms. It stays closely with its mother and is very healthy.”All smiles, Li told this reporter that when Ian Wilmut, the father of cloned sheep, visited his laboratory, he simply wished him “good luck.”