Human Cloning
Articles with information about human embryo cloning, human cloning research and testing, human cloning ethics, and more.What is Human Cloning?
Cloning an organism involves replicating the DNA of that organism in a new organism that, as a result, has the exact features and characteristics. Human Cloning would mean recreating the person that is being cloned. With the successful cloning of Dolly The Sheep, Human Cloning, long the staple of science fiction, is on the verge of becoming a reality.
How would Human Cloning work?
Human Cloning, if it is ever done, will be carried out by the same method that brought forth Dolly, Reproductive Cloning.
In Reproductive Cloning, the nucleus is removed from a body cell of the organism to be cloned and this nucleus is inserted into an enucleated egg, that is, an egg whose nucleus has previously been removed.
The egg with the new nucleus is then treated to electric or chemical treatment to simulate cell division. The resulting embryo is transferred to a host uterus to develop properly and eventually be given birth to.
The new-born organism will be a replica of the original organism, but not the exact, since it will have DNA derived from both the organism as well as the egg.
Why would Human Cloning be done?
Cloning animals, especially endangered species, is one way of preserving the species from dying out entirely. But why would anyone want to clone human beings? There are enough of us already on the planet without resources enough for the well-being of all of us. So why bother to clone?
Well, one reason is pure scientific research. We've already come a long way. After Dolly, scientists have managed to clone various animals. So cloning humans seems the next logical step and a very important one it would be too.
Cloning humans could also prove a major breakthrough as far as cloning for therapeutic purposes is concerned. Cloning could be used to produce new organs for organ transplants. Since the cloned organ, produced from a body cell of the person needing the transplant, would have the same genetic code, there would be less risk of the body rejecting the new, transplanted organ. Cloning could also be used to treat Cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases, and host of other illnesses.
Cloning would allow infertile couples to have their own genetic offspring or otherwise normal couples to order designer babies. It could also be used to bring back to life your dead ancestors. So if you want to give birth to your great-great-grandmother, you can. Just as long you managed to preserve some samples of her body cells.
One American couple reportedly is willing to pay $500,000 to clone their dead infant daughter.
And then there are some who would like to clone themselves and thereby achieve eternal life.
Is it ethical to go ahead and clone humans?
Well, sometimes one of a kind is more than one can tolerate. But, on the serious side, many of the leading Scientists involved in cloning research, like Ian Wilmut and Richard Gardner, have expressed serious doubts and ethical dilemmas over the cloning of human beings.
Firstly, reproductive cloning is not yet a fool-proof method. It took 272 attempts before Dolly was produced. This means 272 embryos either failed to develop properly or were discarded as defective. In other cases, if the embryos weren't miscarried, a large percentage of the animals born showed a high degree of abnormality and died quickly or had to be euthanized. Those successfully cloned have shown many health problems and none have lived to a ripe old age so far.
Now, since human beings consider themselves a class apart, obviously many moral problems would arise with treating defective human embryos or new-born, handicapped babies in the very same manner.
There is also no way of predicting what the intelligence level and capabilities of a human clone would be. What would be the psychological and societal implications for it as an individual? What kind of a life or future would it have? Since we don't know, many people consider it unethical to go ahead and clone.
But that argument doesn't hold much water with others. After all, we have no way of knowing exactly what sort of a person a normally conceived embryo will turn out to be either.
Is Human Cloning legally allowed?
Reproductive Cloning of Humans is banned is many countries around the world, including the USA and the UK, and allowed in some. Therapeutic Cloning is allowed to some degree, but there is already a clamor against it from religious and pro-life organizations, many of whom are more acquainted with its theological implications than its theoretical possibilities.
Cloning an organism involves replicating the DNA of that organism in a new organism that, as a result, has the exact features and characteristics. Human Cloning would mean recreating the person that is being cloned. With the successful cloning of Dolly The Sheep, Human Cloning, long the staple of science fiction, is on the verge of becoming a reality.
How would Human Cloning work?
Human Cloning, if it is ever done, will be carried out by the same method that brought forth Dolly, Reproductive Cloning.
In Reproductive Cloning, the nucleus is removed from a body cell of the organism to be cloned and this nucleus is inserted into an enucleated egg, that is, an egg whose nucleus has previously been removed.
The egg with the new nucleus is then treated to electric or chemical treatment to simulate cell division. The resulting embryo is transferred to a host uterus to develop properly and eventually be given birth to.
The new-born organism will be a replica of the original organism, but not the exact, since it will have DNA derived from both the organism as well as the egg.
Why would Human Cloning be done?
Cloning animals, especially endangered species, is one way of preserving the species from dying out entirely. But why would anyone want to clone human beings? There are enough of us already on the planet without resources enough for the well-being of all of us. So why bother to clone?
Well, one reason is pure scientific research. We've already come a long way. After Dolly, scientists have managed to clone various animals. So cloning humans seems the next logical step and a very important one it would be too.
Cloning humans could also prove a major breakthrough as far as cloning for therapeutic purposes is concerned. Cloning could be used to produce new organs for organ transplants. Since the cloned organ, produced from a body cell of the person needing the transplant, would have the same genetic code, there would be less risk of the body rejecting the new, transplanted organ. Cloning could also be used to treat Cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases, and host of other illnesses.
Cloning would allow infertile couples to have their own genetic offspring or otherwise normal couples to order designer babies. It could also be used to bring back to life your dead ancestors. So if you want to give birth to your great-great-grandmother, you can. Just as long you managed to preserve some samples of her body cells.
One American couple reportedly is willing to pay $500,000 to clone their dead infant daughter.
And then there are some who would like to clone themselves and thereby achieve eternal life.
Is it ethical to go ahead and clone humans?
Well, sometimes one of a kind is more than one can tolerate. But, on the serious side, many of the leading Scientists involved in cloning research, like Ian Wilmut and Richard Gardner, have expressed serious doubts and ethical dilemmas over the cloning of human beings.
Firstly, reproductive cloning is not yet a fool-proof method. It took 272 attempts before Dolly was produced. This means 272 embryos either failed to develop properly or were discarded as defective. In other cases, if the embryos weren't miscarried, a large percentage of the animals born showed a high degree of abnormality and died quickly or had to be euthanized. Those successfully cloned have shown many health problems and none have lived to a ripe old age so far.
Now, since human beings consider themselves a class apart, obviously many moral problems would arise with treating defective human embryos or new-born, handicapped babies in the very same manner.
There is also no way of predicting what the intelligence level and capabilities of a human clone would be. What would be the psychological and societal implications for it as an individual? What kind of a life or future would it have? Since we don't know, many people consider it unethical to go ahead and clone.
But that argument doesn't hold much water with others. After all, we have no way of knowing exactly what sort of a person a normally conceived embryo will turn out to be either.
Is Human Cloning legally allowed?
Reproductive Cloning of Humans is banned is many countries around the world, including the USA and the UK, and allowed in some. Therapeutic Cloning is allowed to some degree, but there is already a clamor against it from religious and pro-life organizations, many of whom are more acquainted with its theological implications than its theoretical possibilities.
- Health Risks of Cloning
Despite the fact that cloning technologies continue to evolve, cloning has several health risks, especially for the cloned identity. The information organized below discusses the same. - Cloning Vector
A cloning vector is the cell containing the foreign DNA insert that has been transformed in the host cell for the purpose of replication. We have explained you the characteristic features and the different types of cloning vector in this article. Read on... - The Future of Human Cloning
Human cloning is a popular topic for science fiction writers, but the issues raised by this topic are becoming more and more relevant in reality. This article discusses the history of cloning, the process of cloning human embryos, and the possibility of using stem cells from cloned embryos to discover medical cures. - What is Cloning?
Cloning is the process of replicating the genes present within a DNA molecule, in order to be able to make copies of an organism. Find out more about what is cloning and what it involves, in this write up... - Human Cloning Pros and Cons
Evaluation of various human cloning pros and cons given below will help you understand whether this practice is beneficial for mankind or not. Continue reading for more information on some lesser known attributes of human cloning. - What is Human Cloning
With so many popular books and movies being released on the subject of cloning, what is human cloning is a question that is asked quite often. In this article we try to answer this question. - Is Cloning Good or Bad
Is cloning good or bad is a question that incites the fear of the unknown in many minds. Some are excited about the whole idea of cloning and some are vary of the whole concept. In the following article, is cloning humans good or bad, we shall discuss both sides of the same coin... - Therapeutic Cloning
Therapeutic cloning can change the way diseases are cured these days. Read this article to learn about facts, benefits and functions of this brilliant phenomenon called therapeutic cloning. - Cloning: History of Human Cloning
An attempt to trace human cloning history which will give a brief account of the progress that we have made in this field. It may come as a surprise for many, but cloning - a subject of debate since a long time, has an interesting history to boast of. - Human Cloning Facts
While some believe that human cloning tantamounts to tinkering with nature, others swear by its benefits. Here are some human cloning facts that would enable us to understand what exactly is human cloning and why has it become such a controversy... - Pros and Cons of Cloning
Cloning is the process of creating a copy of a biological entity. In genetics, cloning refers to the process of making an identical copy of the DNA of an organism. I am sure you are one among those interested in understanding the pros and cons of cloning. So read on. - Risks of Cloning
The way that the proponents of cloning humans go, we are indeed trying to play God. The process of human cloning that seems to have a clean agenda can easily turn tables to become a reason for destruction and quick riches... - Ethical Issues of Cloning
Is cloning equivalent to "playing God?" Here is a discussion about the ethical issues of cloning humans. - Human Cloning Benefits
Although not clear to its full potential, human cloning benefits are expected to be numerous for human race. Let us have a look at such potential and achieved benefits of human cloning... - Human Cloning Process
Of late, there has been great debate over the process of human cloning. Whether it is ethical or unethical, genetic cloning is always seen as the greatest challenge in genetic research. Let us find out about the process of human cell cloning... - Moral Philosophy and the Impact of Human Cloning
Science and its technological spin-off has resulted in a lot of development and advancement. This is not without a price! With human cloning lots of questions have risen viz; is it moral or not? Where lies the sanctity of life? Are we not trying to play God? This and many more, particularly, the moral dimension of the act of cloning a human being is the focus of this essay. - "Rael World"
So... I hear you clone people. I want to be cloned.