Human Cloning
Is it right or wrong?
Cloning and how its done.
There are two ways to make human clones:
1. Artificial Embryo Twinning
2. Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer
Artificial Embryo Twinning mimics the way nature clones in identical twins. In human cloning, instead of the twinning happening in the mother, it is carried out in a Petri dish. In twinning, a very early embryo is separated into individual cells, which are allowed to divide and develop over time. The embryos are then placed in to the surrogate mother where they finish developing. Since all the embryos came from the fertilized egg, they are genetically identical.
Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer
Dolly the sheep, which was made in Scotland was made using this method. In a nutshell, scientists took a somatic cell form an adult female sheep. Then they removed the nucleus and all of its DNA from an egg cell. They transferred the egg cell from the somatic cell to the egg cell. After a while, it developed into an embryo and was placed into the surrogate mother. Therefore, Dolly was exactly the same as its mother.
Dolly the Sheep was the first major breakthrough in cloning as she was the first fully functioning clone. She was made in Edinbrugh by Ian Wilmut and Keith Campbell, using the somatic cell nuclear transfer. She was born in 5 July 1996 and died on 14 February 2003.
Identical twins
Protest
How Dolly the sheep was cloned
Mixed opinions on cloning
However, many say that all these scientific problems can be overcome in time, as progress will keep going no matter what. And while clones have many disadvantages and risks, they have many advantages that we can use them for. Clones can be used for organ and blood transfer, help infertile couples have children and we can even recreate previous historical figures like Einstein and Martin Luther King by using their DNA. Cloning will also help us better understand human biology.
Is cloning right or wrong? Decide for yourself.