Mammoth comeback closer than ever after company’s latest breakthrough

By Dean Murray via SWNS

The return of the woolly mammoth has moved a step closer.

Dallas-based Colossal Biosciences, who describe themselves as the world’s first de-extinction company, announced Wednesday (March 6) that they have successfully reprogrammed pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) from elephants.

The "global-first" breakthrough would allow the stem cells to be combined with genes from a frozen woolly mammoth to produce hybrid eggs able to grow into embryos in an artificial womb. Colossal aims to reproduce the extinct species by 2028.

The company says the technology promises seminal advancements for engineering woolly mammoth phenotypes in vitro cellular models, developmental biology, and attaining a balance between senescence and cell growth.

Colossal states the iPSC (induced pluripotent stem cells) milestone advancement was one of the primary early goals of the mammoth project and supports the feasibility of future multiple ex utero mammoth gestations.

They say: "Invaluable for Colossal’s woolly mammoths, these cells can be multiplex-edited and differentiated to study cold adaptation traits like woolly hair growth and fat storage in cellular and organoid models."

Ben Lamm, co-founder and CEO of Colossal, says: "We knew when we set out on the woolly mammoth de-extinction project that it would be challenging but we’ve always had the best team on the planet focused on the task at hand.

"This is a momentous step, with numerous applications, that we are proud to share with the scientific community. Each step brings us closer to our long-term goals of bringing back this iconic species."

Dr. George Church, Colossal co-founder and Harvard geneticist, says: "Elephants might get the ‘hardest to reprogram’ prize, but learning how to do it anyway will help many other studies, especially on endangered species.

"This milestone gives us insights into developmental biology and the balance between senescence and cancer. It opens the door for obtaining gametes and other cell types without surgery on precious animals. It opens the door to establishing connections between genes and traits for both modern and extinct relatives – including resistance to environmental extremes and pathogens.

"This collaboration has been a true pleasure and a colossal accelerant for our challenging project."

The firm had said of the mammoth project: "In the minds of many, this creature is gone forever. But not in the minds of our scientists, nor the labs of our company. We’re already in the process of the de-extinction of the Woolly Mammoth.

"Our teams have collected viable DNA samples, and are editing the genes that will allow this wonderful megafauna to once again thunder through the Arctic."