Modern stem cell technologies could provide one way to sttudy human accelerated regions (HARs). Using precision gene editors to change the DNA in a chimp cell to match the sequence of a human HAR, for example, researchers can isolate the effects of that HAR.
Take skin biopsy from a nonhuman primate.
Reprogram skin fibroblasts into brain, heart, or liver cells.
Edit the DNA of a specific chimp HAR to match the human sequence.
Test the cells for differences in gene expression.
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