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Ethics Of Animal Cloning

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In the early 1900’s scientists started investigating Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. Through questioning and experimenting scientists were able to conclude every cell contained a specific set of instructions, which is known today as DNA. This discovery has led to a multitude of additional discoveries, including a better understanding of reproduction and genetic information. As advancements continued in learning about DNA, a new biotechnology was discovered called somatic cell nuclear transfer or SCNT. This is the process of taking out the information within the embryonic cell and replacing it with information from an adult body cell from a different being. By mixing the embryonic cell and the genetic information of another, a clone, …show more content…

Human beings have a responsibility to act morally just, not causing any being unnecessary pain and suffering. Which is exactly what animal cloning has been causing these animals. To better understand how these animals are suffering, one needs to have a better understanding on how the natural reproduction process works. Genes from both hosts are transferred in random order to the new cell. Each specific allele or trait has a specific place on the stand of DNA, this assures everything need to create another being is represented. The female body then provides nutrition and safety for the growing being. If the cell has errors in the new DNA, or the host body cannot provide adequate support for the developing embryo then the body naturally aborts the embryo. With cloning only one set of DNA is being transferred into the egg, which provides the exact replica of the already established being. But this embryo is then planted into a different host body to provide nutrition and safety as it is developing. The problem with this is that the embryo is foreign to the host body. Just like foreign germs entering into the body, an immune responsive is automatically activated. Because of this immune response the success rates for these implanted embryos is less than 10% (Riddle). Therefore, more than 90% of all implanted hosts will suffer from a miscarriage. This could lead to dangerous complications for this animal, in severe cases death. Another issue lies with the cloned animal itself, a large amount of these clones are born with obvious physical deformities, gigantism, or do not have fully developed crucial organs such as the heart or lungs (Riddle). Child birth is difficult enough, but now by adding gigantism to the equation, the statistics for a successful

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