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Cloning: A Boon or Bane?
Cloning is a process of producing two similar genetic types of biological entities either naturally or artificially. Identical twins are examples of natural cloning. Cloning is done by collecting somatic cells from parent and then they are allowed to undergo Asexual reproduction. The basic difference between natural cloning (identical twins) and artificial cloning is that identical twins have different genetic types whereas artificial clones have exact genes. It is just a myth that clone is similar to the original. Even though their genes are same, conditions for growth are different to result different physical appearance.
Cloning, which is thought to be one of the latest technological developments as most of the people think, is actually an age-old scientific technique. Humans have knowledge of cloning from before at least 2000 years. Most of the plants we see today are cloned. Unlike animal cloning, plant cloning doesn't involve any sophistication. Just grafting the cut plant does the job where as animal cloning involves mitosis.
The first attempts for cloning were started in 1885 when Dreisch discovered Embryo Twinning phenomena in sea Urchins. In 1902, first vertebrate was cloned by the same process. Cloning process took its boost with the development of nuclear transfer technique. In 1979, first genetically identical mice were produced. Cloning was the talk of the world when Dolly, a clone was produced from the udder cell of a sheep in 1996. This led to the production of many vertebrates such as monkeys, cows, horses, mules and even human beings.
There are basically two processes in cloning (artificial).
1. ARTIFICIAL EMBRYO TWINNING
2. SOMATIC CELL NUCLEAR TRANSFER
1. Artificial embryo twinning:-
This can be treated as the traditional method of cloning. This process, as the name indicates is similar to the identical twin formation. Embryo is taken in a petri dish where it is separated into two parts at its premature stage. Then they are grown in the womb of a surrogate mother and are allowed to develop. As they are produced from the same fertilized egg, they resemble each other in the genes.
2. Somatic cell nuclear transfer:-
This involves cloning by using somatic cells (cells other than reproductive cells). Natural fertilization involves the union of germ cells where chromosomes of father and mother unite to form an embryo where this type of cloning involve fertilization from a single somatic cell which have two sets of chromosomes.
A somatic cell is collected and all its DNA is removed along with its nucleus ( biologically called enucleated). The nucleus is injected into the enucleated egg cell and is developed inside a surrogate mother. This results in the formation of homo genetic being.
The main application of cloning is to prevent endangered species to dwindle. It helped in the production of many rare species like Alpine Ibex and Bucardo are protected from extinction. Recent techniques help us to replace damaged tissues by new tissues. Even cloning is used in the production of stem cells and thus giving its hand in treating diseases. Desired species of animals can be developed easily and this can help even in research.
Negative impressions were impinged on cloning with human clone production. Human right activists strongly oppose human cloning and they believe that it is highly immoral as high class people may misuse it. In view of this, human cloning is banned in most of the countries. Even scientists found that the produced stem cells have sometimes similar nature to that of cancer cells. As the success rate of cloning is very less, this adds to decrease in life span of the clone.
As every scientific development has its pros and cons, cloning too face this challenge. But, it is a fact that this has helped in the development of agriculture and helped in reviving endangered species. In view of moral standout in human cloning, this is adverse.
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| clones have same genes not appearance |
Cloning, which is thought to be one of the latest technological developments as most of the people think, is actually an age-old scientific technique. Humans have knowledge of cloning from before at least 2000 years. Most of the plants we see today are cloned. Unlike animal cloning, plant cloning doesn't involve any sophistication. Just grafting the cut plant does the job where as animal cloning involves mitosis.
The first attempts for cloning were started in 1885 when Dreisch discovered Embryo Twinning phenomena in sea Urchins. In 1902, first vertebrate was cloned by the same process. Cloning process took its boost with the development of nuclear transfer technique. In 1979, first genetically identical mice were produced. Cloning was the talk of the world when Dolly, a clone was produced from the udder cell of a sheep in 1996. This led to the production of many vertebrates such as monkeys, cows, horses, mules and even human beings.
There are basically two processes in cloning (artificial).
1. ARTIFICIAL EMBRYO TWINNING
2. SOMATIC CELL NUCLEAR TRANSFER
1. Artificial embryo twinning:-
This can be treated as the traditional method of cloning. This process, as the name indicates is similar to the identical twin formation. Embryo is taken in a petri dish where it is separated into two parts at its premature stage. Then they are grown in the womb of a surrogate mother and are allowed to develop. As they are produced from the same fertilized egg, they resemble each other in the genes.
2. Somatic cell nuclear transfer:-
This involves cloning by using somatic cells (cells other than reproductive cells). Natural fertilization involves the union of germ cells where chromosomes of father and mother unite to form an embryo where this type of cloning involve fertilization from a single somatic cell which have two sets of chromosomes.
A somatic cell is collected and all its DNA is removed along with its nucleus ( biologically called enucleated). The nucleus is injected into the enucleated egg cell and is developed inside a surrogate mother. This results in the formation of homo genetic being.
The main application of cloning is to prevent endangered species to dwindle. It helped in the production of many rare species like Alpine Ibex and Bucardo are protected from extinction. Recent techniques help us to replace damaged tissues by new tissues. Even cloning is used in the production of stem cells and thus giving its hand in treating diseases. Desired species of animals can be developed easily and this can help even in research.
Negative impressions were impinged on cloning with human clone production. Human right activists strongly oppose human cloning and they believe that it is highly immoral as high class people may misuse it. In view of this, human cloning is banned in most of the countries. Even scientists found that the produced stem cells have sometimes similar nature to that of cancer cells. As the success rate of cloning is very less, this adds to decrease in life span of the clone.
As every scientific development has its pros and cons, cloning too face this challenge. But, it is a fact that this has helped in the development of agriculture and helped in reviving endangered species. In view of moral standout in human cloning, this is adverse.
PREVIOUS NEXT
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