Cloning

7 Pages 1687 Words

Environment, Technology, and Society
Imagine this; “talking to yourself” could take on a whole new meaning if exact human cloning is made possible. Cloning could have many effects on society, and has become a huge issue over the previous years. People take a stand on different sides of the issue. Many of the arguments that are presented have many opinions backing them. Cloning can be used in various ways that may help or harm society as a whole.

What Is Cloning
There are three types of cloning that exist, reproductive cloning, DNA cloning, and therapeutic cloning. The American Heritage Dictionary has three different definitions for cloning. 1) A cell, group of cells, or organism that is descended from and genetically identical to a single common ancestor, such as a bacterial colony whose members arose from a single original cell. 2) An organism descended asexually from a single ancestor, such as a plant produced by layering or a polyp produced by budding. 3) A DNA sequence, such as a gene, that is transferred from one organism to another and replicated by genetic engineering techniques.
The American Medical Association calls cloning the application of “Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer”. Taking the nucleus of a somatic cell of an organism and transferring it into an enucleated oocyte is the process of somatic cell nuclear transfer.
Most commonly you hear of reproductive cloning. Reproductive cloning is where an identical genetic twin of an organism is produced. Reproductive cloning is how animals are cloned today. When you have a reconstructed egg after somatic cell nuclear transfer has been performed, it is then treated with chemicals or electric current to induce cell division. When the embryo reaches a stable stage it is placed in a uterus where it continues to develop until it reaches birth.
DNA cloning is the process of transferring a DNA fragment to an element such as a bacterial plasmid. When ...