CLONING

Cloning Entire Organisms

Cloning Entire Organisms

Introduction

Cloning is an umbrella term for processes of duplication of genetic material, either animal or human. Scientists refer to a clone as a group of two or more cells or organisms with identical genetic information derived from a single cell or organism. Clones natural result of asexual reproduction in bacteria, plants and animals, and are deliberately produced by a variety of technical strategies. Research on how cloning is in these discussions has shown that in the years following the announcement of the first cloned mammal, Dolly the sheep famous, the prospect of human cloning has moved from science fiction to scientific practice, while , has become particularly controversial. Media scholars and social scientists refer to the frames and discursive strategies that shape the debates and how discussion of a particular technique is related to general expectations about the role of science in a democratic society. This entry discusses the techno-scientific progress and the media and public debate in both animals and human cloning.

Background

Cloning term was first introduced in the early 20. Its root is the ancient Greek term ????, meaning "sprout" and referring to the process by which a new plant can be created from a branch. A basic feature of cloning is that sexual reproduction is ignored. The production of cloned DNA fragments, cells or embryos is an important technique in the toolbox of molecular biotechnology. It complements two other key technologies (analysis of the allocation, sequencing and functional complete genetic makeup of an organism) of genetic engineering (the transfer of genetic material from one organism to another) and genomics. Scientists today use a variety of cloning strategies. All clones of the biology of the students through the transfer of genes and amplify fragments of DNA in unicellular organisms such as bacteria. This strategy generates multiple copies of a DNA fragment can be used to introduce a gene into the genetic makeup of a different species (Harris, 2010).

Another line of research is the reprogramming of adult somatic cells into embryonic stem cells such as cells, called induced pluripotent stem cells. In 2009 this was achieved in mice by inserting a gene into the genome of an adult cell. Reprogramming adult cells avoids both the need for human oocytes and the use of true embryonic stem cells and thus avoids the ethical issues linked to human egg donation and use of embryos for research purposes (Kass & Wilson, 2009). Scientists look for alternative sources of human oocytes are also working on creating human embryos mixed with animals (sometimes called hybrid embryos), a technique that has been legalized in the United Kingdom with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008.

Arguments In Favor of Cloning

Cloning occurs naturally in humans as monozygotic or identical twins. Monozygotic twins are derived from a single fertilized egg and therefore sharing their basic genetic makeup. But they are not identical, of course, as the term seems to imply English. The idea of human cloning in the sense of creating or copying ...