Reproductive Cloning Technology

1788 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Disadvantages of human cloning

Reproductive Cloning

Cloning has become a major issue in our modern world, from moral, ethical, and religious concerns, to the problem of financial and government support. Human cloning is one of the most controversial topics, and because of this, many of the new important discoveries and beneficial technologies have been overlooked and ignored. Reproductive cloning technology may offer many new possibilities, including hope for endangered species, resources for human organ transplants, and answers to questions concerning cancer, inherited diseases, and aging. The research that led up to the ability to clone mammals started more than a century ago. From frogs to mice to sheep to humans, reproductive cloning promises many possibilities.

Ever since the successful birth of Dolly on July 5, 1996, the scientific community as well as the public have been engulfed in the idea of reproductive cloning, its benefits, and its potential threats. This well-publicized event was a giant steppingstone in understanding and using the techniques of gene cloning and reproductive cloning. By using a technique known as Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer, scientists at the Roslin Institute removed the nucleus from an oocyte (unfertilized egg), and then fused this newly enucleated cell with a donor cell (with complete nucleus). This new embryo was then implanted into the womb of a surrogate mother ewe. In total, out of 277 fused cells, 29 successfully developed into embryos, while only one of these resulted in a successful live birth (a total success rate of 0.4%) (Wong, 202). Dolly was the first living mammal to be cloned by this fast and accurate process of somatic cell nuclear transfer, but was by no means the first animal to be cloned. The first...

... middle of paper ...

...s, Mark. “Gene Cloning,” 11 June, 2004 , Holmgrem Lab, 27 July, 2007,

7. “History Of Cloning,” John’s Cloning Page , 22 July, 2007,

8. Pellegrino, Edmund D., “Human Cloning and Human Dignity.” The President’s Council on Bioethics. 22 July 2007

9. "Cloning Fact Sheet." Human Genome Project Information. 29 Aug. 2006. U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, Office of Biological and Environmental Research, Human Genome Program. 27 July 2007

10. Love, Jamie, “The Cloning of Dolly.” Science Explained 27 November, 1997; 18 July, 2007

Show More
Related

  • The Pros And Cons Of Therapeutic Cloning

    1154 Words  | 3 Pages

    Therapeutic cloning is the process whereby parts of a human body are grown independently from a body from STEM cells collected from embryos for the purpose of using these parts to replace dysfunctional ones in living humans. Therapeutic Cloning is an important contemporary issue as the technology required to conduct Therapeutic Cloning is coming, with cloning having been successfully conducted on Dolly the sheep. This process is controversial as in the process of collecting STEM cells from an embryo, the embryo will be killed. Many groups, institutions and religions see this as completely unacceptable, as they see the embryo as a human life. Whereas other groups believe that this is acceptable as they do not believe that the embryo is a human life, as well as the fact that this process will greatly benefit a large number of people. In this essay I will compare the view of Christianity who are against Therapeutic Cloning with Utilitarianism who are in favour of Therapeutic Cloning.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Human Cloning

    1021 Words  | 3 Pages

    Human cloning research has once been the subject of terrifying science-fiction films and novels, science experiments gone wrong, accomplished only by the evil scientists twirling their moustaches. However, ideas presented on page and screen are rarely accurate. The possibility of cloning an exact copy of another human with one already fully developed is almost impossible, but through meticulous research, scientists have discovered the numerous benefits of cloning humans, either with individual cells or an embryo.

    Read More

  • Clones Are Human: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

    882 Words  | 2 Pages

    "Human Cloning and Human Dignity: An Ethical Inquiry." The President's Council on Bioethics Washington, D.C. N.p., July-Aug. 2002. Web.

    Read More

  • Ian Wilmut and the Cloning of Dolly

    4071 Words  | 9 Pages

    Ian Wilmut’s discovery is so significant and undoubtedly warrants him as a master in the scientific world as well as in the logical mathematical intelligence. In order to clone Dolly, Ian Wilmut invented an extremely complex process. Click here for a pictorial summary of the cloning process. Prior to Wilmut’s shocking revelation, most scientists were sure that succ...

    Read More

  • Should We Clone Organs?

    575 Words  | 2 Pages

    In recent decades, questions about genetic engineering, genetic modification, and cloning of animals and humans are on the minds of many. On February 27, 1997 when Dr. Ian Wilmut and his team sent chills down our spine with the announcement of the first successfully cloned sheep Dolly. At this time the reality of animal cloning stared us in the face while the human cloning was just around the corner.

    Read More

  • Leave Human Cloning to Mother Nature

    637 Words  | 2 Pages

    It's been three years since the birth of Dolly, the world's first successfully cloned animal. The announcement of her birth brought about much ado and sparked many debates concerning the morality of cloning. In the three years since Dolly was created, the debate over cloning has swelled and receded, but has never been put to rest. A compelling issue that has come into focus in the past several years is the idea of human cloning. Many scientists believe that it is inevitable because the technology is there, and anything that can be done eventually will be done. They preach the value of human clones, dropping phrases like 'cure for disease' and 'prolonged life' to entice the public into supporting their cause. Though these concepts seem beguiling, the notion of human cloning, when looked at as a whole, has serious repercussions and should not be entertained lightly.

    Read More

  • Human Cloning: Genetic Advancement or Genetic Manipulation?

    1725 Words  | 4 Pages

    Since 1885, there have been a number of researchers, scientists, geneticists, reproductive technologists and embryologists, such as August Weismann, Hans Spemann, Walter Sutton, Paul Berg, Steen Willadsen, et al., who have contributed much to the research and development of our current concepts of cloning. Particularly two of the more recent renowned contributors to cloning research and experimentation are Ian Wilmut, a Ph. D. in animal genetic engineering, and Richard Seed, who founded Fertility and Genetics in the 1980s.

    Read More

  • Genetic Engineering: Cloning: Dolly and Eugenics

    1691 Words  | 4 Pages

    Wade, Nicholas. "The Clone Named Dolly." The New York Times. The New York Times, 13 Oct. 2013. Web. 21 Mar. 2014.

    Read More

  • The Injustice Of Cloning In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    954 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Cloning represents a very clear, powerful, and immediate example in which we are in danger of turning procreation into manufacture.” (Kass) The concept of cloning continues to evoke debate, raising extensive ethical and moral controversy. As humans delve into the fields of science and technology, cloning, although once considered infeasible, could now become a reality. Although many see this advancement as the perfect solution to our modern dilemmas, from offering a potential cure for cancer, AIDS, and other irremediable diseases, its effects are easily forgotten. Cloning, especially when concerning humans, is not the direction we must pursue in enhancing our lives. It is impossible for us to predict its effects, it exhausts monetary funds, and it harshly abases humanity.

    Read More

  • Discuss the Role of Memory and Recollection In Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let me Go (2005)

    2451 Words  | 5 Pages

    U.S. DOE Human Genome Project. (2009) Cloning Fact Sheet. [On-line] Available from: http://www.ornl.gov/hgmis/home.shtml, [accessed 5th May 2011].

    Read More

  • The Impact of Human Cloning on the Family and Society

    2612 Words  | 6 Pages

    In recent years, the development of cloning technology in non-human species has led to new ways of producing medicine and improving our understanding of development and genetics. But what exactly is human reproductive cloning and how has this technology been developed? The term “cloning” refers more specifically to a process known as somatic cell nuclear transfer. In this process, the DNA from the cell of ...

    Read More

  • Human Cloning

    1801 Words  | 4 Pages

    1) Robertson, John A. “Human Cloning and the Challenge of Regulation,” The New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 339, no. 2 (July 9, 1998), pp. 119-122.

    Read More

  • Cloning is Unethical

    802 Words  | 2 Pages

    In recent years our world has undergone many changes and advancements, cloning is a primary example of this new modernism. On July 5th, 1995, Dolly, the first cloned animal, was created. She was cloned from a six-year-old sheep, making her cells genetically six years old at her creation. However, scientists were amazed to see Dolly live for another six years, until she died early 2005 from a common lung disease found in sheep. This discovery sparked a curiosity for cloning all over the world, however, mankind must answer a question, should cloning be allowed? To answer this question some issues need to be explored. Is cloning morally correct, is it a reliable way to produce life, and should human experimentation be allowed?

    Read More

  • The Effects of Human Cloning on Medicine

    1768 Words  | 4 Pages

    Seidel, Jr., George E. "Cloning." World Book Student. World Book, 2014. Web. 13 Feb. 2014. source 19

    Read More

  • Cloning Embryos Research Paper

    757 Words  | 2 Pages

    Did you know, that stem cells are in all of our bodies? Certain stem cells created your body, and some even repair your body when you damage your body, on a small scale. When a stem cell divides it has a chance of becoming a specialized cell, or staying as a stem cell. Unless the stem cell is embryonic, then the stem cell will change into a cell that can help or replace another cell in the organ that the stem cell is in. For example if the stem cell is in your kidney, and it finds a cell that is dead or dying then it can split into two cells and replace that cell. You can find stem cells pretty much anywhere inside of the body. The problem is age affects how many legitimate stem cells you have. Embryonic stem cells are more

    Read More

More about Reproductive Cloning Technology

Open Document