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Human Engineering

Human Engineering. Cloning, Stem-Cell Research, and In Vitro Fertilization. Genetic Engineering. Manipulation of genetic material in an attempt to modify the structure of an organism or aid in the transmission of genetic information.

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Human Engineering

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  1. Human Engineering Cloning, Stem-Cell Research, and In Vitro Fertilization

  2. Genetic Engineering • Manipulation of genetic material in an attempt to modify the structure of an organism or aid in the transmission of genetic information

  3. The substance of which genes are a part is DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), a long chainlike molecule. • DNA is the chemical record in which hereditary information is encoded

  4. Human genes become defective by mutation and by chromosome aberration • The term eugenics means “sell born through the judicious matching of superior genes” • Negative (altering genetic endowment by removing or correcting harmful genes) • Positive (creating new beings).

  5. Genetic Engineering • The motivation behind most human genetic engineering research certainly is commendable – not mad scientists

  6. ThreeTypesofGeneticResearch • Making minor changes in existing structure – one of two ways: • By splicing in new genetic material • By altering the material already present Goal: improving an organism, or prevention or cure of disease Few oppose such genetic engineering

  7. ThreeTypesofGeneticResearch • Creating new life forms • Mixing genes to from any two organism to produce an entirely new creature • The result is a hybrid plasmid bearing some characteristics of both original organisms Recent benefits: human insulin, superwheat, organisms that eat oil

  8. Dangers Do Exist • Production of disease-causing bacterium • Development of creatures that can reproduce • Disruption of the ecology • New diseases in humans and plants

  9. ThreeTypesofGeneticResearch • Procreation • This field embraces artificial reproduction • This includes such practices as: • Artificial insemination, (AIH, AID) • Artificial sexual selection • Surrogate parenting • In vitro fertilization • Embryo transfer

  10. The Bible and Genetic Engineering • Bible is a of complete and perfect source of moral and spiritual information (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pt. 1:3) • Difficult to discover how Bible is to be applied in complex problems of modern society • Must search for the principles that are applicable

  11. Biblical Ethics and Reproduction Technology • Reproductive technologies - techniques that deal with male and female infertility through artificial reproduction • Two distinctive areas in which biblical ethics are relevant to human reproduction technologies: before conception and at conception

  12. Human Reproduction Technologies Before Conception Genetic counseling is a medical speciality that uses the latest information on birth defects and inherited diseases to help people as they strive to plan their families, protect their health, and protect the health of their children.

  13. Counselors have training in genetics • Their goal is to translate up-to-date genetic knowledge into practical, useful information • To date, scientists have isolated over 3,000 genetic defects among humans • Awareness of these defects may aid those at risk in their decision making

  14. Those at risk: • People who have a family history of inherited disease(s) • Women who have experienced two or more miscarriages • Workers whose jobs expose them to a potentially harmful environment • Those married to first cousins or other blood relatives • Etc.

  15. Two choices: • Terminate a pregnancy if the fetus is found to be defective – this is both unethical and unscriptural • To have or nor have children – either choice is ethical and scriptural • Birth control is permissible scripturally – and wise, if there is evidence that a child might be diseased or disabled

  16. Human Reproduction Technologies At Conception • Reproductive technologies at conception usually include: • Cloning • Artificial insemination • In vitro fertilization.

  17. History of Cloning • 1952 – Briggs and King cloned tadpoles • 1996 – The first mammal cloned from adult cells was Dolly, the sheep

  18. July 1998 cloned calves 1998 Cloned mouse History of Cloning

  19. December 2001 Five cloned female piglets, named Noel, Angel, Star, Joy and Mary December 2001 The world's first cloned kitten, named Cece History of Cloning

  20. 2004 Bull serial-cloned 2003 Cloned mule History of Cloning

  21. Reproductive Cloning • The word “clone” derives from the Greek term klon, meaning a “sprout” or “twig.” • Cloning is an asexual process of reproduction that results in an exact genetic duplicate of the original • Thus, it refers to a method of reproduction apart from the parental, sexual-mating process that is characteristic of most organisms.

  22. Reproductive Cloning ! • Suggested benefits: • Children for unmarried • Parents select characteristics • Statistical studies • Harvest “spare parts” • Duplicate likeness of self

  23. Cloning Humans Is Morally Wrong! “Producing people in ‘herds’ in order to harvest spare parts, for use in laboratory statistical studies like so many guinea pigs, or merely to satisfy personal egos in a vain attempt to guarantee physical immortality is abhorrent” (Bert Thompson, Ft. Wroth Lectures, 2000)

  24. Cloning Humans Is Morally Wrong! • Cloning opposes God’s design for bringing children into the world in a family unit [includes both a husband and wife in the procreation act] • Marriage is to proceed the bearing of children (1 Tim. 5:14; Gen. 4:1) • Children are to be reared within the circle of the family unit (Gen. 1:28; 2:24; cf. Eph. 6:1-4)

  25. Cloning Humans Is Morally Wrong! • Dolly’s experimenters used 277 cloned embryos to produce one sheep, meaning 276 failed • In attempt to clone one human, hundreds of embryos will be produced and die in the process – embryos are living human beings (Gen. 9:6; Rom. 13:9)

  26. Therapeutic Cloning • “Therapeutic” Cloning creates an embryo for destruction • Therapeutic cloning involves cloning human embryo cells to get stem cells from them (killing the embryo) • Stem cell - a cell that has the ability to continuously divide and differentiate (develop) into various other kinds of cells/tissues

  27. Kinds of Stem Cells

  28. Day 2 2-cell embryo Day 3-4 Multi-cell embryo Day 1 Fertilized egg Day 5-6 Blastocyst Day 11-14 Tissue Differentiation Stages of Embryogenesis

  29. Isolate inner cell mass (destroys embryo) Outer cells (forms placenta) Inner cells (forms fetus) Culture cells Day 5-6 Blastocyst “Special sauce”(largely unknown) Liver Heart repaired Kidney Heart muscle Derivation and Use of Embryonic Stem Cell Lines

  30. Possible Uses of Stem Cell Technology • Replaceable tissues/organs • Repair of defective cell types • Delivery of genetic therapies • Delivery chemotherapeutic agents

  31. Embryonic Stem Cell Engineering Is Morally Wrong • Adult stem cells (obtained from adult tissues, cord blood, etc.) do not pose any ethical controversies, since they do not destroy complete human beings • However, embryonic stem cells are isolated by destroying human embryos

  32. Adult Stem Cells • An alternative source (does not involve the destruction of human embryos)

  33. Adult Stem Cells • Can come from a donor or individual needing treatment • Limited differentiation? • Many clinical advantages over ESCs • No tissue rejection • Come from many places in the body (Placenta, cord blood, bone marrow, kidneys, hair follicles)

  34. Adult Stem Cells Currently used to treat over 70 diseases Leukemia, breast cancer, liver disease, cornea restoration, brain tumors, arthritis, and heart disease

  35. Adult Stem Cells Heart Disease C.J. Chiu, professor of cardiothoracic surgery injected adult stem cells from bone marrow into the hearts of rats. These cells differentiated into new heart muscle that made the right connections to nearby cells so they could all beat together.

  36. Adult Stem Cells Skin Disease Adult stem cells can be transformed into skin cells which can be used for skin grafts.

  37. Adult Stem Cells Diabetes A team led by University of Florida permanently cured insulin-dependent diabetes in mice, with adult stem cells.

  38. Adult Stem Cells “Given the abundance of umbilical cord stem cells and the fact that umbilical cord cells are already being used for other disorders like childhood leukemia, many researchers expect that umbilical cord stem cells will start being used to treat stroke victims within the next few years.” About Genetics, “Umbilical Cord Stem Cells: Hope for Millions?” Feb 2001, (the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science)

  39. Adult Stem Cells ‘Adult stem-cell research … has already shown itself to be extremely promising for treating numerous degenerative diseases such as heart disease, stroke, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes. David Prentice (Ph.D. Genetics), National Review, 2001

  40. Adult Stem Cells “Presently, no one has succeeded using ESCs for human therapeutic or reproductive cloning…” Daniel Criswell (Ph.D. Molecular Biology), “Stem Cell research: Greasing the ‘Slippery Slope’ to Godlessness”, Impact, February 2005

  41. Adult Stem Cells • Celebrity Parkinson's disease victims such as Michael J. Fox and Michael Kinsley regularly tout ESC research as the best hope for a cure of their disease • Both have remained strangely silent about the fact that researchers treated Parkinson's with the patient's own adult stem cells

  42. Human Reproduction Technologies At Conception • Reproductive technologies at conception usually include: • Cloning • Artificial insemination • In vitro fertilization.

  43. Artificial insemination (AI) is a means of assisting reproduction • Process involves concentrated sperm being injected into the female reproductive system artificially • Most couples utilize artificial insemination because the husband either is infertile or subfertile

  44. Sperm Sources • AIH designation given to artificial insemination performed using only the husband’s sperm • AID designation given to artificial insemination performed using only donor sperm • AIDH designation given to artificial insemination performed using sperm from both husband and donor

  45. When the sperm of the husband is used (AIH) the conception of the couples own child results – no biblical principle is violated • The use of donor sperm, donor eggs, or surrogate mothers, stands in stark contradiction to God’s plan for the home

  46. The family unit is the avenue by which children may be brought into the world legitimately (Gen. 4:1) • Parental responsibility begins at conception and continues to a point of independent maturity • It is morally wrong for any Christian to surrender his or her reproductive powers to another person, thus ignoring the divine responsibilities connected therewith

  47. Bert Thompson: serious implications regarding the use of AI • Women could bear children for unmarried men • Women could bear children for other couples (surrogate motherhood) • Women could bear children for homosexual men • Women who are lesbians could have children without a male partner

  48. Human Reproduction Technologies At Conception • Reproductive technologies at conception usually include: • Cloning • Artificial insemination • In vitro fertilization.

  49. In vitro (IVF) is the procedure whereby the woman’s egg [removed by laparoscopy] is fertilized with sperm in a laboratory Petri dish – the so-called “test tube” baby • Multiple eggs are extracted and fertilized, but only a few (appearing to be the healthiest) are selected for implantation – the remaining embryos are destroyed

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