(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-02-10 10:44

TEHRAN - Iranian scientists have successfully produced a mouse using embryonic stem cells, the official IRNA news agency reported on Saturday.

Hossein Baharvand, director of the Royan Research Center's stem cells group, told IRNA that the mouse was produced from embryonic stem cells taken from a black mouse that were later injected into the blastosists of a white mouse.

The resulted embryos were then transferred to the womb of another mouse and finally a chimera mouse was born, he said.

In the next phase, experts are to produce mice with specific characteristics by genetically changing the mouse embryonic stem cells, Baharvand said.

"The mechanism could be used in studying the performance of a specific gene in a living body," he added.

Established in 1991, the Royan Research Center initially started its work as a center for limited surgeries, but in 1998, it was developed into a center for stem cell researches, according to IRNA.

Successful production of Iran's first cloned lamb, Royana, in 2006, is another major achievement made by Royan's scientists.