How Does the Process of Cloning

Work?

By: Abishai Schoenbein

What is Cloning?

• The term "cloning" is referring to a process more technically known as

“somatic cell nuclear transfer”.

• The DNA from an adult male animal’s cell is put into an egg cell of that

same species’ female. As a result, the baby is identical to the father, or

“donor cell.”

“Cloning is the biological equivalent of using a copier to copy a

document. In the case of cloning instead of copying a

document, scientists duplicate DNA. To duplicate DNA, scientists

manipulate single cells, egg cells or embryos.”

Dolly the Sheep

• Dolly was the world’s first cloned animal. Therefore, making her the

world’s most famous clone. Unfortunately, Dolly was the only lamb that

was born out of 277 attempts. This is a very bad ratio.

• “Scientists injected the cell of a male sheep into an unfertilized egg cell

which had had its nucleus removed, and made the cells fuse by using

electrical pulses.”

• But this was not the first time a living organism was cloned, cloning had

been around for a long time. Plants have been cloned for centuries, and

scientists have been cloning DNA since the 1970's.

Pros

• Preserving endangered breeds and species.

• Gives the clone the same good traits.

• If you clone an intelligent animal, than the clone will also be intelligent.

• It can give parents the opportunity to have children if they otherwise could

not.

Cons

• “Its outcome is not always certain due to high pregnancy losses.”

• The Clone would have any disease or disability that the donor cell had.

• It causes one to think if it is morally right.

• It takes away the uniqueness of a child.

• It is a very expensive procedure.

Conclusion

• From a technical standpoint, before humans are cloned, we need to have a good idea of the risks involved in cloning humans. How sure can we be that a cloned baby will be healthy? What might go wrong?

• As I said earlier the ratio of success to failure isn’t ideal. So I think that cloning is going to be an ongoing trial and error until we can perfect it. But for now we should stick to making featherless chickens and glow in the dark cats.

Work Cited

• http://library.thinkquest.org/24355/data/reactions/cons.html

• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1476349/

• http://www.animalresearch.info/en/medical-advances/151/cloning-dolly-the-sheep/