Modern cloning technology has enabled human beings to successfully produce genetically identical copies of bacteria, plant, and animal life.
With this new found capability, there have been mixed reactions with various sides arguing the morals and ethics when it comes to the practice of cloning life. Questions and debates arose, asking where the line should be drawn regarding the legalities of cloning and some have even exclaimed that there should be a complete ban on cloning altogether.
The word clone is derived from the ancient Greek word ” klōn” which translates to twig and refers to the process where a new plant can be grown from a twig. The very first advancement in cloning technology came in 1885 by Hans Adolf Eduard Driesch with the first-ever demonstration of artificial embryo twinning on a sea urchin. Dreisch showcased that by merely shaking two-celled sea urchin embryos, it was possible to separate the cells. Once separated, each cell grew into a complete sea urchin. The experiment confirmed that each cell in the early embryo has its own complete set of genetic instructions and was capable of growing into a full organism. From this point on, cloning technology advanced rapidly with successful reptilian cloning using various methods such as twinning the artificial embryo in a vertebrate, transferring the nucleus of an embryo into an enucleated egg, and more.
Finally, in 1984, the very first mammal (Lamb) was created by Steen Willadsen. Using a chemical process to separate one cell from an 8-cell lamb embryo, Willadsen used a small electrical shock to fuse the cell to an enucleated egg cell which then began dividing new cells. Placing the lamb embryo into the womb of a surrogate mother sheep, the result was the birth of three live lambs. Considered a major success, this preceded into more complex forms of mammal cloning such as nuclear transferring from both unaltered and genetically engineered laboratory cells, cloning mammals by somatic cell nuclear transfer, and more.
Cloning offers various benefits for clinical trials, medical research, stem cell research, and more. Cloning technology can also be utilized to increases the production of proteins by cloning animals with superior genes that yield more meat and milk, which in return solves the problem of the shortage of protein sources derived from animals that are used in the field of medicine such as vaccines.
Most intriguing is the idea of resurrecting extinct species, most notably the woolly mammoth. There are numerous tissue samples that are largely intact and viable for cloning due to being frozen in sub-zero temperatures.
Some disadvantages attributed to cloning are ethical and moral issues, with the biggest argument being that cloning is playing god and alters the course of nature. Another disadvantage is the suffering that it causes to animals, where cloned animals are reported to have a high mortality rate. The costs involved in cloning is also very expensive considering the materials, hours, and expertise needed to operate.
The biggest topic of conversation is the decision of whether to clone humans or not. In 2007, researchers took a cell from an adult monkey and fused it with an enucleated egg cell. The embryo was allowed to develop for a time, then its cells were grown in a culture dish. The experiment showcased that nuclear transfer in a primate was possible. Considering the fact that 95 percent of human DNA and chimps are shared, it opened the door to the possibility of human therapeutic cloning: creating individual-specific stem cells that could be used to treat or study diseases. In terms of cloning a living, breathing human being, there is still quite a distance to go.
It is unknown to what extent the possibilities and limitations are for cloning and only time will tell. With each breakthrough, our imaginations will widen as we seek out the basic nature of curiosity.
