While bone marrow might be more complicated to collect than skin cells, the results make the effort worthwhile, researchers said. | Photo: The Horse Staff

Want a good clone? You’ve got to get to the root … well, actually, the stem.

Results of a new study by researchers in Argentina suggest that stem cells make much better cells for creating equine clones than the more commonly used skin cells. And while they might be more complicated to access, the results make the effort worthwhile.

“Our findings have opened a new era in horse cloning, because we were able to bypass all the problems that were associated with the technique, resulting in healthy offspring that could not be distinguished from regular horses,” said Ramiro Olivera, BSc (Biotechnology), director and co-founder of Kheiron Biotech S.A., in Pilar, Buenos Aires