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Reproductive Cloning. Dolly Varun and Elizabeth. What is Reproductive Cloning?. Technology used to generate an animal that has the same DNA as another currently or previously existing animal.
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Reproductive Cloning Dolly Varun and Elizabeth
What is Reproductive Cloning? • Technology used to generate an animal that has the same DNA as another currently or previously existing animal. • Dolly the sheep was created by reproductive cloning technology. First dog clone (Afghan Hound)
How does it work? • Scientists use “somatic cell nuclear transfer” (SCNT). • Transfer genetic material from the nucleus of a donor adult cell to an egg whose nucleus (so its genetic material) has been removed. • Reconstructed egg containing the transferred DNA is treated with chemicals or electric current to stimulate cell division. • Once the cloned embryo reaches a suitable stage, it is transferred to the uterus of a female host where it continues to develop until birth.
The Clone! • Dolly or any animal created using nuclear transfer technology is not truly an identical clone of the donor. • Only clone’s nuclear DNA is the same. • Some of the clone’s genetic material comes from the mitochondria. • Mutations in the mitochondrial DNA are believed to play an important role in the aging process.
Relevance to Society • Can increase the population of endangered species. • Lots of controversy over the issue: it has risks and is highly inefficient. Over 90% of cloning attempts fail. Red panda – an endangered species
Ethical Considerations • Defective child objections – clone child could be imperfect (suffering from defects) • Medical safety – born with defects • Religious objections – cloning is “playing God,” clone will have no “soul,” something less than fully human
Slavery and spare parts objections – clones that are created will either be treated as a slave or her body parts will be chopped up and sold • Objects of potential discrimination – discrimination against clones
Guinea pigs objections – humans are not guinea pigs, nobody has the right to carry out experiments on them • Technological terror objections (10,000 Hitler objection) – clone soldiers, fear that’s been generated through science fiction
Identify of life objections – cloning people threatens personal identity, easier to get out of bed in the morning knowing they are unique • Selfishness objections – many people believe there is no reason to clone children when there are so many waiting for adoption
Technology Used • Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). • As the procedure currently cannot be automated, it must be performed under a microscope.
Potential Benefits To Society • Agricultural Benefits – Cattle and other livestock that contain beneficial characteristics that will increase the health of livestock as well as consumer population. • Life-Saving Technology – Organs and tissues like hearts and livers could perhaps be cloned (tissue engineering).
Interesting Facts • Jurassic Park was made to emphasize the risk involved in cloning. • Some scientists believe that cloning will never work for humans while others state that human cloning is easier to do that animal cloning.
Bibliography • "cloning." Online Art. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 25 Feb. 2008 <http://www.britannica.com/ebc/art-60421>. • "Human Genome Project Information." Cloning Fact Sheet. 29 08. 2006. Human Genome Project. 25 02. 2008 <http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/cloning.shtml#risks>. • Fyfe, Alonzo. "Against a Prohibition on Cloning." The Reproductive Cloning Network. 26 Feb. 2008 <http://www.reproductivecloning.net/Articles/fyfe.htm>. • "Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer." Wikipedia. 26 Feb. 2008 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Therapeutic_cloning#SCNT_in_reproductive_cloning>.