Scientists Clone Fluorescent Cats
They claim there is a scientific purpose for their experiments, but to be honest with you, we can't quite figure out what that purpose may be. The South Korean scientists who created this pair of fluorescent felines claim that this breakthrough will help them study diseases and stem cells. We might not be biologists, but we're not really sure what the connection between AIDS and a cat that looks like a jack-o-lantern is.
This is far from the first time scientists have cloned animals and genetically altered them to glow unearthly colors. Mice, rabbits, pigs -- nothing is safe. A company even bred genetically altered fluorescent fish to sell as pets, called GloFish. Check out our gallery of other flourescent animals below.
Gallery: Fluorescent Animals
From The Daily Mail
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 12)
R @ Dec 13th 2007 12:53PM
The purpose of making them fluorescent is not to be funny or cruel like the author of this article suggests. Firstly, under normal light say from an incandescent light bulb or in normal sunlight, the animals will not be emitting radiation like a Christmas tree. The fluorescent colors are only visible (yes, how could have logic guessed it) under a fluorescent bulb. Particular genes, extracted from other animal species which are naturally fluorescent (say from the ocean) are inserted into an animal cell. That cell will produce the corresponding protein which when exposed to a fluorescent light source will have its electrons excited so that the color will appear. Typical colors used for such tagging experiments are green (green fluorescent protein-GFP; perhaps you might want to spend 30-seconds of research), red, blue or occasionally yellow.
As for the connection between a disease and making animals express certain tagging proteins, well let me start by saying, you are not a biologist so don't imply something insidious about the research being done. You do not need to do a few years of laboratory research but merely a few minutes on wikipedia to look up what's the point of making certain cells glow. As I stated, it is done to tag cells. To understand how an organism, especially a mammalian one as complex as a cat develops cell by cell, tracing the mitotic pathway, it is an excellent tool to be able to trace what cell ends up where. In fact Nobel prizes have been won for doing exactly that in the Nematode (C. Elegans) model, tracing all the cells from its original stem source. It would take textbooks to explain all the different experiments that can be done by tagging cells (hence the reason why people go to Medical School and Graduate school for Ph.D.s; so as not to make sensationalist claims on an AOL News Source), so I won't go into it here.
Next time, do a little bit of research and don't come off as a simpleton.
elizabeth @ Dec 13th 2007 1:33PM
I personally think it's time we stop experimenting. It seems to me the more we are able to change what's natural into something unnatural the more we want to experiment. Our world is slowly dying. Let's leave nature alone....the way it was originally intended before we get totally out of control and before we all become unrecognizable.
A @ Dec 13th 2007 1:41PM
Perfectly stated R:
That is the problem with most blogs and message boards on AOL. The writers are simpletons, and have not a clue as to details, of what, they speak (write) of.
Perhaps we should (as consumers) demand and begin standardized IQ testing for those who have contracts to write for AOL... and it should be WELL above average!
I am getting increasingly tired of having my head ache with the amount of ignorance I am subject to on a daily basis from these bloggers & reporters for that matter!
IT is simple: I will "learn ya" the same bit of common sense my Father taught me... IF YOU ARE NOT EDUCATED OR EVEN REMOTELY KNOWLEDGABLE ON A PARTICULAR SUBJECT MATTER, YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO AN OPINION ON IT... AND YOU ARE MOST CERTAINLY NOT ENTITLED TO WRITE ABOUT IT!
Go "edu-ma-cate" yourself, then form an (OR IMPLY ONE AS YOU DID) opinion Mr. O'Brien!
You will maybe go places if you do so....
Fae @ Dec 13th 2007 2:28PM
In my opinion, it is NOT okay to experiment on "other species" without their consent! They have the RIGHT to live without the fear of "torture". WHY should they have to die, so that more ignorant humans can live longer... If scientists want to "experiment"; Please... do so on YOURSELF! I am certain there are millions of people who would volunteer, if paid. Leave the innocent creatures alone! Since we as a species are "overpopulated", it's time we "thinned out" our own HERD; as we would do other species of animals. IF the experiments only benefit humans, USE humans as the subjects... of course, only with their approval.
cg @ Dec 13th 2007 2:55PM
I'm with you FAE. This is a sicko human world and getting more pathetic every day. Everything was ALREADY created as it should be and mankind needs to stop playing CREATOR and doing heinous/ludicrist things to animals and other living things just to exist in the fantasy that they did something useful. Never an attitude of prevention in the preservation of their own health, just mutilation while they play "little chemist". There should be a code of ethics they have to follow that say's they MUST experiment on themselves and their own family first.
JBJG @ Dec 13th 2007 3:10PM
AND JUST WHY DO WE NEED FLOURESCENT CATS??????????????????????????
Kathleen Leary @ Dec 14th 2007 10:42AM
The time for experimenting on animals, keeping them in cruel conditions, and exposing them to poisons, cancers and tumors is now over. Yes human subjects can be asked- besides often results from experiments on animals to not yield similar findings in humans-we also have computer generated models which can be of assistance. As a medical research professional I do experiment on myself-med, herbal effects, etc. Animals have advanced our science and medicine, but now these animal experiments are often redundent and study results are often falsified for profit. And on those animals which we have used for science should be treated, and released, or given maximum freedom and treated as heroes instead of having a life of torture and grief
Mike @ Dec 14th 2007 11:11AM
This is stupid,bet taxpayer money was involved.There is enough problems in the world for the scientist to solve instead of making
cats glow.
Doctor Bob @ Dec 14th 2007 11:26AM
There's no use.... the ignoramuses keep popping up in their little 16th Century witch-burning outfits, complaining about research that they know nothing about. Hey, dummies, if you don't understand this research or appreciate it's prospects, why don't you sell your computer and move into your back yards to live? You'll be right at home with the bugs and the squirrels.
Erin @ Dec 14th 2007 11:30AM
i think that they should stop making pets glow and use there own bodies if they need to no this stuff so bad you no animals have feelings to!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! >:O
bulletsarevogue @ Dec 14th 2007 11:43AM
I want a glowing kitty :(
J.S. @ Dec 14th 2007 11:48AM
I think it is so stupid how people always try and make themselves look so smart on these online blogs! As for the cats I think I'll be putting one on my Christmas list!
Barbara Craig @ Dec 14th 2007 11:57AM
Doctor Bob is the idiot he is calling everyone else that's aganist making cats flourescent. We don't need to use animals to do scientific research any more!! And, yes, I have a medical degree. And my daughter has a PhD in Biology and is a forensic scientist. So, there Doctor Bob......idiot!!!
sam @ Dec 14th 2007 12:03PM
The article writer wants to know what glowing cats has to do with aids. How about we make the carriers of aids glow under black lights in nightclubs so they can be identified as the danger they are?
Chantrelle @ Dec 14th 2007 12:18PM
I think that it's cruel and inhumane what people do just for science!I'm sure that there is a better way that scientists can use to find a cure or whatever they are using this "expierement" for!! Poor cats!!And what a waste of money!!There are so many better things that you can be doing with that money but making glow in the dark cats cmon!!
Renee @ Dec 14th 2007 12:24PM
Yes, it may not hurt them now, but do you realize how many cats, fish, mice etc. get hurt in the process? You may be a biologist and not care for the welfare of animals such as mice but I am a vegetarian and think it is wrong that we test rediculous things such as making cats glow, hair products, makeup etc. on animals. It isn't there fault we can't find more humane ways of entertaining ourselves than making something helpless glow.
Kim @ Dec 14th 2007 12:31PM
Oh please. This has to be the STUPIDEST most obvious hoax ever to come out of Korea.
Patrick @ Dec 14th 2007 12:39PM
I just want to make certain parts of my body glow...so I can aim at the toilet better in the middle of the night.
mincpa @ Dec 14th 2007 12:40PM
I wonder if they have florescent poo?
You know, I love animals but I cannot take care of them because of their poo. I'd pick up glowing poo!
Honestly, the research CAN do good stuff for us all and the animals are not suffering for glowing?
Anyway, I do agree it's a little perverse to have glowing cats and stuff, but if it saves a human's life and the animal doesn't suffer, well..... hey it's kinda cool.
Kronk @ Dec 14th 2007 12:42PM
Fluorescent cats taste better! And when ur all curled up on the couch watching your favorite movie you don't have to turn on the lights to see the crumbs! You people need to get a life...you obviously have no concept of everything around you that came from animal testing. Everything from your vitamins, medicines, to your makeup. I'll take a better quality of life and kick a cat with a smile!