The Main Reason to Clone - Essay Example

By discussing these to the full extent, we will be able to come to a more conclusive and knowledgeable objective on this subject of interest. The aim of this paper is to discuss this, as well as the other key factors in regards to this issue. This is what will be dissertated in the following.

The term cloning is literally referred to as “…using specialized DNA technology to produce multiple, exact copies of a single gene or another segment of DNA to obtain enough material for further study.” (“CDC”, 2006). The process itself is actually referred to as cloning DNA, and the resulting cloned (or copied) collections of DNA molecules are called clone libraries. In more simple terms, cloning is the process of creating an identical copy of something original. In the cloning of a gene, there must be extraction from one gene from an organism and inserting that into another organism, where it can then be used and studied. There is also a related technique to this which is called subcloning, which refers to the transferring of a gene from one plasmid into another, again for further study.

Cloning is the process of making a genetically identical organism through nonsexual means. Although the idea of cloning may seem rather revolutionary to some, it has in fact been around for some while. It has been used for many years to produce plants (in fact even growing a plant from a cutting is a type of cloning). The terms ‘recombinant DNA technology, ‘DNA cloning’, ‘molecular cloning’, or ‘gene cloning’ all refer to the same process: the transfer of a DNA fragment on interest from one organism to a self-replicating genetic element such as a bacterial plasmid. “This technology has been around since the 1970s, and it has become a common practice in molecular biology labs today.” (Cloning Fact Sheet, 2006). When the media report on cloning in the news, they are usually only talking about one type of cloning, which is called reproductive cloning. However, there are many different forms of cloning, including human cloning, animal cloning, and cellular cloning.

As for reproductive cloning, it is a technology that is used to generate an animal that has the same DNA as another currently or previously existing animal. The majority of reproductive cloning has so far been tried and tested on animals, with the modern cloning techniques involving nuclear transfers being successfully performed on several species.
fierce debates among scientists, politicians and the general public about the use and morality of cloning plants, animals and possibly humans. Although some argue that cloning can be used for many positive reasons, such as to preserve and increase the number of various endangered species, others are outraged at the ‘misuse and mistreatment of science’.
Currently, the most successful cloning technique is that of the somatic cell nuclear transfer. This is the same cloning technique that allowed Dolly the sheep to be cloned, is also the same technique used by ACT – the first company to successfully clone a human embryo. Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) uses a different approach than the other more artificial embryo twinning, but at the same time, it produces the same result: “an exact clone, or genetic copy, of an individual.” (The University of Utah, 2006). What occurs in this process is that scientists transfer genetic material from the nucleus of a donor adult cell to an egg whose nucleus, and thus its genetic material, has been removed. It is then that “The reconstructed egg containing the DNA from a donor cell must be treated with chemicals or electric current in order to stimulate cell division. Once the cloned embryo reaches a suitable stage, it is transferred to the uterus of a female host where it continues to develop until birth.” (Cloning Fact Sheet, 2006).

The explanation as to the reason for cloning is common that the main reason to clone plants or animals is “…to mass-produce organisms with desired qualities, such as a prize-winning orchid or a genetically engineered animal – for instance, sheep have been engineered to produce human insulin.” (Freudenrich, 2006). Although cloning has been around now for quite a while and does not seem to be going anywhere quickly, the fierce debate over such a serious and questionable subject matter is sure to resonate as long as the issue of cloning is around. From this review, we can conclude that there are both positive and negative sides to the issue of cloning, and that one may of course take their own personal stance on the subject, however most times it will be strongly towards one position or the other, rather than wavering somewhere in the middle. Cloning, like many issues in the world today, is one of incredible significance and controversy. And only after a full and thorough review of all the literature, can we come to a true understanding of what cloning is really all about. This we can see from the previous review.