Meanwhile, back in Dr. Frankenstein's laboratory...

From LiveScience.com...

Reproductive biologist Takashi Shinohara at Kyoto University in Japan and his colleagues first began with rats genetically engineered to produce a green fluorescent protein. Their cells and progeny would thus prove easy to recognize. Shinohara and his colleagues then removed the stem cells that sperm arise from in the rats and implanted them into testicles of mice.

The scientists collected fluorescent green rat sperm from the mice and injected them into rat eggs. Successfully fertilized eggs were transferred into surrogate rat mothers.

None of the fluorescent green rat pups born—yes, they are really green—displayed any abnormalities, genetic or otherwise. Moreover, they grew up to become fertile adults.

Initially I wasn't going to cover this, but then I thought, “When am I ever going to get the chance again to use the words, ‘flourescent green rat sperm’?”

I do think it's interesting that the author doesn't think a fluorescent green rat displays any abnormalities. Imagine what you'd think if you saw a fluorescent green rat running around inside your house. Forget the exterminators, most people would pack and move on the spot, especially if they lived near a nuclear power plant or any other industrial site known to use mysterious chemicals.

Posted by Danny Carlton at August 29, 2006 11:29 AM