Glowing Kittens Help Study for HIV Vaccine
Glowing kittens are among the ways researchers are learning about HIV, as scientists fused the cat's egg cells with special genes that make them immune to the disease - as well as glowing bright green.
To create the so called "Frankenkitties" the Mayo Clinic inserted a gene for the GLP (Green Fluorescing Protein) alongside their test gene, so that they could check whether the gene had been inserted.
Story: Virus Created to Kill HIV-Infected Cells
The result was a cat which glowed green under UV, as well as immune to FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus).
To deplete the body's infection fighting T-cells, the study used a restriction factor called monkey restriction factor, which is effective, when combined with the glowing gene.
Meanwhile scientists admit that while glowing cats may be useful for learning, the final treatment may not use it.
"We did it just to mark cells easily just by looking under the microscope or shining a light on the animal," study author Dr. Eric Poeschla told Reuters.
It could help doctors and veterinarians show how monkey and other restricting factors combine well with gene therapy in HIV/FIV if the study, using a technique called 'gamete-targetted lentiviral transgenesis' - is continued.
Glow in the dark, fruit flies, mice, rabbits and pigs have already been created, the Guardian reported.