Breakthrough: Scientists on brink of woolly mammoth revival

Colossal Biosciences, a pioneering firm in the field of de-extinction, has made a groundbreaking discovery in the study of elephants, potentially paving the way for the return of the extinct woolly mammoths. The company’s team specializing in woolly mammoths has successfully created induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from Asian elephants. iPSCs are adaptable cells that can transform into any type of cell within an organism, enabling scientists to explore genetic adaptations of woolly mammoths and conduct gene editing experiments in a non-invasive manner.

Eriona Hysolli, leading the biological sciences and mammoth projects at Colossal Biosciences, highlighted the significance of this achievement. These stem cells offer insights into the distinctive biological features that allowed woolly mammoths to survive in cold Arctic conditions, such as their distinctive hair, tusks, and body fat composition.

One of the project’s critical milestones has been the creation of elephant iPSCs, a process complicated by the elephants’ unique genetic makeup that significantly differs from other animals. The team overcame this by inhibiting a key genetic pathway related to cell growth and replication, a task that involved sophisticated genetic manipulation.

This scientific advancement is vital for several reasons. It enables the study of elephant development, crucial for the mammoth’s de-extinction, as creating a mammoth embryo would require implantation into an elephant surrogate for a 22-month pregnancy. Understanding the complex developmental biology of elephants is essential for the success of this ambitious endeavor.

While the creation of a mammoth embryo seems increasingly feasible, ensuring the health and viability of a newborn calf remains a significant challenge that demands further research and experimentation.

The team at Colossal Biosciences is continuing to refine their techniques for producing elephant iPSCs, with their findings soon to be shared on the bioRxiv preprint server for peer review. Hysolli remains cautiously optimistic about the full potential of these iPSCs to differentiate into any cell type, emphasizing the need for ongoing experimentation and validation.