Chinese scientists have successfully developed an embryo of a giant panda using clone technology, which could be a critical and exciting breakthrough for saving an endangered species.

Two core technologies have been solved among the three technologies for the cloning, it is possible to realize the clone, said Chen Dayuan, scientist with China panda cloning research.

The three core technologies are: firstly, introduce the cells of a dead female panda into the egg cells of a white rabbit, then nurture the embryo, finally clone, said the scientist.

The former two technologies have been successfully developed.

The clone experiment is hard to be fulfilled in panda, said the scientist. Scientists have to implant panda's embryo into the womb of a host animal, what is more, it is very hard to get the cell of the endangered breed, usually it could only be obtained from the one just dead.

Chen said that the key problem lies in the third step, namely, whether the cloned embryo can be formed into a panda in a host animal's womb?

He said that Chinese scientists are engaged in the research, despite the difficulty, scientists believe it is possible and hope to solve the problem as soon as possible.

(People's Daily June 19, 2002)