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 same 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 same actually, 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 showed 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 same 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 same actually, 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 showed 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.
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 something. 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…
Scientist Successfully Clones Himself, Creates ‘Mature’ Embryos
A California scientist reported this week that he had successfully created "mature" embryos from his own skin cells.
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 Human Cloning Process…
Clone
Also spelt clon, a clone can be defined as an individual organism that was grown from a single body cell of its parent by asexual methods and that is genetically identical to it.
Scientists Announce Human Cloning Plans
An Italian doctor and two scientists recently announced at a U.S. science panel their plans to create cloned human babies.
Maverick Medic Reveals Details of Baby Cloning Experiment
A maverick fertility expert has revealed hard evidence of a controversial attempt to produce the world's first cloned human baby.
Cloning: Hwang Woo-suk
What happened to the 'king of cloning', Hwang Woo-suk.
Korean Scientist Faked Human Cloning Research
South Korea's fallen scientific hero Hwang Woo-suk faked all of his landmark claims to have cloned human embryonic stem cells, his university said today.
Cloning Fraud Hits Search for Stem Cell Cures
Research that gave hope to millions of people with incurable diseases has been put "back on the starting line" by one of the worst cases of scientific fraud, experts and patients groups warned yesterday.
Cloning Expert is Alleged to Have Faked Stem Cell Data
The world's leading cloning expert was embroiled in an investigation yesterday amid allegations that he faked research that propelled him to the forefront of the field.
Clone Human Embryo Creator Admits Ethical Lapses in Work
The scientist who created the first clone human embryo was forced to apologise yesterday for ethical lapses in his work.
Analysis: Cloning and the Push for Clinical Trials
There could be a huge global commercial market for stem-cell science; Britain is well placed to exploit it, but time is running out. Ian Sample
Sport: Tests for Gene Cheat
Magnetic tests to weed out gene cheats may not be far away amid fears that techniques developed to clone animals may be used to create super athletes.
Koreans Succeed in Stem Cell First
Announcement brings hope to scientists and sufferers, while opponents warn of race to clone babies.
UN Split Over Therapeutic Cloning
The United Nations will today decide whether to include a total ban of therapeutic cloning in its global convention on human cloning.
Chinese Connection Beats Ban on Cloning-style Fertility Technique
An experimental fertility technique, tested on five women in China because it would be banned in the US and UK, was condemned yesterday as perilously close to procedures used in cloning and in any case unethical. One woman became pregnant with triplet embryos, one of which survived 29...
Scientists Call for International Ban on Human Cloning
More than 60 of the world's leading science academies called yesterday for a UN ban on the reproductive cloning of humans, to prevent the exploitation of vulnerable people. But they also urged that any such ban should not extend to cloning human tissue for the treatment of diseases...
Tim Radford: Send in the Clones
Cloning technology is not about copying humans - it's about better understanding biology. Here is the nightmare scenario in which reproductive cloning is justified, inevitable and necessary for the survival of the community. You are crowded together by an implacable authority that dictates that there will be neither time nor opportunity for sex.
MEPs vote against stem cell research
The use of cloned and donated human embryos for medical research risks being outlawed in the EU after the European parliament voted against it yesterday.
European Parliament Vote Against Human Cloning
The use of cloned and donated human embryos for medical research risks being outlawed in the EU after the European parliament voted against it yesterday.
Scientist Cries Hoax As Cult Fails to Provide Clone Proof
The last shreds of authenticity clinging to claims by a bizarre cult that it created the world's first human clone were stripped away yesterday when the scientist who was to oversee the DNA testing of the baby cried hoax.
Three More Cloned Babies Due, Says Sect
The UFO sect inspired by a 4ft high extra-terrestrial with almond eyes and olive skin claimed yesterday that three more cloned babies would be born by February. Brigitte Boisselier, managing director of the Raelian Movement's fertilisation company, Clonaid, told the BBC's Breakfast with...
As 'cloned baby' flies into US, row erupts over verification
The sect that claims to have produced the world's first human clone said the newborn girl and her 31-year-old American mother had arrived back home and that the genetic proof demanded by scientists should be available in a week.
"Rael World"
So... I hear you clone people. I want to be cloned.
Cult Scientists Claim First Human Cloning
Calls for worldwide ban as anger at 'mavericks' grows.
Group Claims Human Cloning Success
A chemist who belongs to a sect that believes life on Earth was created by extraterrestrials today claimed to have produced the world's first human clone, a baby girl. The 7lb (3.2 kilogram) baby was born yesterday by caesarean section, said Brigitte Boisselier, head of Clonaid, the...
Cloned baby due, cult claims
A Canadian cult that believes human life was created by aliens claims that one of its followers will give birth to the world's first cloned baby by the end of the year.
Italian Promises Cloned Human Baby in January
The Italian fertility expert Severino Antinori once again put himself at the centre of a storm yesterday when he predicted that an unidentified woman would give birth to a cloned baby in the first week of January. In the six years since the announcement of the birth of Dolly the sheep -...
Woman to give birth to clone, claims scientist
An Italian fertility doctor who has claimed without proof that several women are carrying cloned babies said today that one of the children would be born in early January, but again offered no evidence.
Cloning team looks to human embryos
Ian Wilmut, leader of the team which cloned Dolly the sheep, is to plunge into uncharted scientific waters by trying to clone human embryos for research.
The Debate about Cloning
There are two types of cloning. One involves harvesting stem cells from embryos ("therapeutic cloning"). These are the biological equivalent of a template. They can develop into any kind of mature functional cell and thus help cure many degenerative and auto-immune diseases.
Maverick in New Cloning Controversy
Italian scientist claims that secretive global network has created the world's first cloned human embryos.
Experts call for curbs on human cloning in China
Chinese geneticists are calling for legislation to control human cloning and genome research, amid growing concern about ethical standards.
Outrage Over First Cloned Baby Case
DOCTORS and medical groups yesterday reacted with outrage to news that an Italian fertility specialist is on the brink of cloning the first human baby. Dr Severino Antinori, who runs a fertility clinic in Rome, has been quoted in an Arab newspaper as claiming that one of his patients is...