Is Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer?

I am writing to address the problem I have with cloning. Therapeutic and Reproductive cloning is a waste of money and time. Why would you pay fifty thousand american dollars to clone something or someone that won’t be an exact copy? Every person or animal in the world is made for a reason, so why make a clone if you’re one of a kind.

The dangers that arise from reproductive cloning are numerous, and are enough to validate the banning of human reproductive cloning altogether. During mammalian reproductive cloning, a large proportion of clones suffered from weakened immune systems, which greatly compromised the animal’s ability to fight off infection, disease, and other disorders. “Animal experiments in cloning all indicate that a cloned twin is at high risk of congenital defects, multiple health problems and perhaps a greatly shortened life span.” (Paulson) In addition, many of the offspring produced through cloning suffer massive abnormalities, such as missing or deformed organs. Approximately 30% of offspring are diagnosed with “large offspring syndrome” and other debilitating conditions. In fact, studies on reproductive cloning have shown that more than 90% of

The topic of cloning has brought much debate in science and also in society. Many

For many years there has been a large controversy over the use of cloning for therapeutic and reproductive purposes. The argument against therapeutic cloning is that creating an exact replica of one's self all for the use of harvesting its parts is considered killing another human being. However, some people are for this use so that they can survive as long as they can, and use the clones materials as a way to cure disease or heal injuries. On the other hand, reductive cloning also has two sides, for and against. People who believe that reproductive cloning is okay, want to create another version of themselves just to either have themselves as a baby or replace a loved one. But, people who are against reproductive cloning believe that it is a selfish or unreasonable act to have one birth a

clone is created, and this act of reproductive cloning is regarded with controversy; is it

Therapeutic cloning is now in reach due to cloned early-stage human embryos and human embryos generated only from eggs, in a process called parthenogenesis. The use of therapeutic cloning is aimed to implant a cloned embryo into a woman’s uterus leading to the birth of a cloned baby. Reproductive cloning is thought to have potential dangers to both mother and fetus that make it unwarranted today. Because of that, a restriction is placed until the issues of safety and dangers are solved.

Reproductive cloning consists of producing a “later born twin” of the early embryo. It is taken from an adult DNA cell and transplanted into a human egg, replacing the nucleus. This procedure is referred to as Somatic Egg Cell Nuclear Transfer. Once ready, the embryo is then placed into the uterus of a woman which then proceeds onto birth. In contrast to this form, adult stem cell cloning is when the cell can clone and make copies of itself in order to help fight off diseases such as Parkinson’s or Heart disease. Somatic cell transfer is used again by planting a human egg in place of the nucleus. However, in therapeutic cloning, the egg cells only survive for up to fourteen days which then give scientists the opportunity to remove the trophoblasts once more and take out the contents inside the embryo and use them for further experimentation. Therefore, as a conclusion to this point, reproductive cloning and therapeutic cloning both involve the destruction of an embryo for research or treatment which do not need to be contemplated because of different alternatives to destroying an embryo (Hallowell).

Therapeutic Cloning is a term used in conjunction with a branch of embryonic stem cell research in which an embryo is cloned and the clone is used for its stem cells, leaving the original embryo unscathed. According to “The Academy,” [Pontifical Academy for Life] using even a cloned embryo is considered to be morally objectionable. Each of the embryos in this

The main ethical issue with therapeutic cloning is the moral status of the cloned embryo, as it is created solely for destruction (Kfoury, 2007). Embryos created using this method are not treated with dignity, as they are not allowed to live more than a few days (Kfoury, 2007). Even though some scientist believe that this method can provide a source of cells for therapy in the future, others argue that it would result in commercial pressures and competition which could force scientists to undergo more research on embryos, which would just become a resource for researchers (Hug, 2015). This could mean millions of egg’s from women a year would be needed (Douglas and Savulescu, 2009). This method will mainly affect women in third world countries or places that have fewer legal restrictions as they could be used for their eggs (Kug,

Differing viewpoint on Therapeutic cloning is not just limited to the general public, even researcher and professor have their own distinct judgement on the topic. The first view point that is going to be discussed is an opinion that supports therapeutic cloning. Shane Ham is a senior policy analyst for the Progressive Policy Institute, an education and research institute that promotes progressive politics geared to the informational age. Hams believes that Therapeutic cloning should be tolerated because it aids organ transplant, it’s an ethical form of cloning, and an embryo doesn’t have the same moral status as a human (Hams, 2007). Since Therapeutic cloning is very different from reproductive cloning, he believes it is a ethical form of

Gene knockout is when a target gene is altered completely to be nonfunctional. When the gene is altered, the proteins that are made from this gene will no longer function which can further effect metabolic processes, this is why gene knockdown is much preferred over gene knockout. Gene knockout effects on other metabolic processes and can have damaging effects on the individual involved.

Reproductive cloning has been up for debate for many years. The problem resides in the morality of cloning a human being. Reproductive cloning to produce animals has been around for a number of years, but the ability to clone a human is a more recent reality. Reproductive cloning is a new area of science that we barely know anything about. As a society we do not know if reproductive cloning is safe. We don’t know if it is like we are playing God. We don’t even know what the end result would be for reproductive cloning because it has never been successful for humans. Until we know more and it becomes safer, reproductive cloning for humans is immoral.

There are many arguments as to why cloning should be tested and experimented, for the sake of science. There are also many who oppose the idea of reproductive cloning. There are many ethical reasons as to why one must not attempt to clone, and there are reasons as to why others believe that there is no harm in cloning to benefit the world and how we live. However, the reason why I have such a passion and concern for the idea and methods of cloning is because I have seen it first-hand. I am writing this essay on this specific topic is because I have a personal connection to the process of cloning.

One of the leading experts in human cloning technology, Dr. Richard Seed, suggests that with human cloning it might be possible that one day humans could reverse the aging process . There has also already been breakthroughs with human stem cells. Embryonic stem cells, the pluripotent stem cells from the inner cell mass of a blastocyst, can be grown to produce organs or tissue to replace or repair damaged ones. If this was to be combined with cloning then it would give people’s immune system a greater chance to not reject the new part . It is also widely believed that human cloning could be the cure for infertility. A technique called somatic nuclear transfer is being considered to be used to help infertile couples to have babies. Somatic nuclear transfer was the method used to clone Dolly the sheep. An infertile man can have his sperm cloned so that only the healthy sperm remain. The same is done for a woman’s eggs and in extreme cases a sibling may be cloned from a human . These are the reasons that people believe human cloning should be legalised within

Human cloning offers medical benefits, as well as other possible technological advances in many areas of science, however, the ethical issues are far greater than these benefits. I fully support cloning in any other aspect other than human cloning. The idea of cloning of a human, taking the DNA of one person and placing it into an egg whose nucleus has been removed then stimulating it to act like it has been fertilized, I do not feel to be unethical. I am not someone who feels that human cloning is playing God. If I was, would I then feel that artificial insemination or invitro fertilization is playing God? My position is that the results and consequences of researching cloning, perfecting cloning, and the inappropriate, inevitable situations for which human cloning will be used are not only unethical, but also atrocious.