The production of transgenic animals is highly desirable for biotechnology and basic research. We investigated the reproductive ability of a red fluorescence protein (RFP) transgenic cloned male cat (RFP TG cat) by natural mating with a domestic female cat. The RFP expression levels were examined in early embryogenesis, tissues from 45-day-old two fetuses, and four RFP TG cat offspring. The RFP gene was detected in tissue samples from one dead kitten, including several organs and the skin. Also, under a fluorescent light source, we were able to directly detect the RFP expression of in in vitro-produced blastocysts derived with sperm from the RFP TG cat. These results indicate that the RFP TG cat exhibits normal reproductive fertility, stable germ-line transmission of the RFP transgene, and characteristic RFP expression in its offspring. We isolated feline neural progenitor cells from a 45-day-old fetus derived from the natural mating of the RFP TG cat with a domestic female cat. Isolated brain and retinal progenitor cells were successfully passaged at least four times postisolation (day 23), and showed a high RFP expression level. This method of producing genetically modified cloned cats will be important for generating biomedical models of human diseases.
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