Cloning

Cloning is a technique scientists use to create exact genetic replicas of genes, cells, or animals.
In
biomedical research, cloning is broadly defined to mean the duplication of any kind of biological
material for scientific studies, such as a piece of DNA or an individual cell.
Some clones already exist in nature. Single-celled organisms like bacteria make exact copies of
themselves each time they reproduce. In humans, identical twins are similar to clones. They share
almost the exact same genes. Identical twins are created when a fertilized egg splits in two.
Scientists also make clones in the lab. They often clone genes in order to study and better understand
them. To clone a gene, researchers take DNA from a living creature and insert it into a carrier like
bacteria or yeast. Every time that carrier reproduces, a new copy of the gene is made.
PROCESS OF CLONING
1. Embryo splitting/twinning - Scientists first split an embryo in half. Those two halves are then
placed in a mother’s uterus. Each part of the embryo develops into a unique animal, and the
two animals share the same genes.
2. SCNT - Somatic cells are all the cells that make up an organism, but that are not sperm or egg
cells. Sperm and egg cells contain only one set of chromosomes, and when they join during
fertilization, the mother’s chromosomes merge with the father’s. Somatic cells, on the other
hand, already contain two full sets of chromosomes. To make a clone, scientists transfer the
DNA from an animal’s somatic cell into an egg cell that has had its nucleus and DNA removed.
The egg develops into an embryo that contains the same genes as the cell donor. Then the
embryo is implanted into an adult female’s uterus to grow.
Somatic cells are any cell in the body that are not gametes (sperm or egg), germ cells (cells that go on to
become gametes), or stem cells.
Example: muscle cells, blood cells, skin cells and nerve cells.
DOLLY
In 1996, Scottish scientists cloned the first animal, a sheep they named Dolly. She was cloned using an
udder cell taken from an adult sheep. Since then, scientists have cloned cows, cats, deer,horses, and
rabbits. They still have not cloned a human, though. In part, this is because it is difficult to produce a
viable clone. In each attempt, there can be genetic mistakes that prevent the clone from surviving. It
took scientists 276 attempts to get Dolly right. There are also ethical concerns about cloning a human
being.
Dolly was cloned from a cell taken from the mammary gland of a six-year-old Finn Dorset sheep and an
egg cell taken from a Scottish Blackface sheep. She was born to her Scottish Blackface surrogate mother
on 5th July 1996. Dolly’s white face was one of the first signs that she was a clone because if she was
genetically related to her surrogate mother, she would have had a black face.
Because Dolly’s DNA came from a mammary gland cell, she was named after the country singer Dolly
Parton.
Facts about Dolly
• lived from 1996 to 2003
• Scientist took 277 tries to get/create dolly right
IPS cells - Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, are a type of pluripotent stem cell derived from adult
somatic cells that have been genetically reprogrammed to an embryonic stem (ES) cell-like state through
the forced expression of genes and factors important for maintaining the defining properties of ES cells.
What made Dolly so special was that she had been made from an adult cell, which no-one at the time
thought was possible.
PROS AND CONS
Pros
1. It can help prevent the extinction of species.
▸ cloning appears to be a possible solution to restore populations. By utilizing the genetic material of
already dead organisms, cloning can even contribute to expanding the diversity of gene pools.
2.can help increase food production
▸ Another major advantage of cloning is that it can serve as a means to increase agricultural production,
particularly livestock and fresh produce. By manipulating their biological processes, existing traits of
interest are ensured with the absence of the genetic "lottery" and random arrangements in the genes
during meiosis.
Cons
1. The process is not entirely safe and accurate
Despite being genetically identical with each other, clones will not be the same regarding behavioral
attributes. Aside from that, their similarities regarding physical appearance are not guaranteed.
It should be important to note that the genetic material is not the sole determinant of these
characteristics.
▸ Aside from that, most of the clones produced have had reduced longevity and developed health
problems. For instance, Dolly the sheep hadabnormalities in her DNA (i.e., shortened telomeres),
suggesting that some of her own cells bear the "age" of the source organisms.
2.. It is regarded as unethical, and the probability of
▸ One of the strongest arguments against cloning is about its ethical concerns. Aside from the idea of
manipulating living organisms, critics say that the mere process of clone production requires the
exploitation of life.
► In the case of Dolly the sheep, more than 277 attempts were conducted before a viable clone was
produced. This only suggests that if humans were to be cloned, scientists need to conduct numerous
"failed" attempts.

Cloning

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Cloning is a technique scientists use to create exact genetic replicas of genes, cells, or animals.

Facts about Dolly

• lived from 1996 to 2003

• Scientist took 277 tries to get/create dolly right

PROS AND CONS

1. It can help prevent the extinction of species.

2.can help increase food production

2.. It is regarded as unethical, and the probability of

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