Cloning

Use of human stem cells?
1. Research to gain understanding of complex events in human development
2. Research to test new drugs
3. Treatment or therapy to replace dead or damaged cells

The first animal to successfully cloned was Dolly the sheep


There are two types of cloning:
Reproductive-creating offspring asexually
Therapeutic-creates organs or tissue to cure diseases or treat injuries.

There are two methods in cloning
• Artificial Twinning using embryos (Blastomere Separation)
• Somatic cell nuclear transfer.

Risks Involved:
•High failure rate
•Large Offspring Syndrome (LOS)-Animals cloned are always larger and have to be born C-section usually.
•Abnormal gene expression patterns
•Decrease in length of telomeres

Pros for Cloning
•Production of animals models for disease study
•Production of stem cells
•Produce drugs from transgenetic animals
Agricultural Application
•Produce animals w/desirable traits
•Increase efficiency of livestock production
•Preserve endangered animals

Cons for cloning
•Decline in genetic diversity
•It is taking nature into their own hands
•Religious and moral reasoning
•Physical problems (birth defects)
•Possibility of mental and emotional problems of the clone



Do you think cloning is an acceptable thing to do? Will it ever fully be figured out? It is a complicated process that doesn’t have a high success rate.