Aidan,+Kyle,+Arrow,+Ben+-+Cloning


 * Aidan, Kyle, Arrow and Ben's page

how does it work?

The term "cloning" generally applies to a process more technically known as somatic cells nuclear transfer. What that means is that the DNA from the cell of an adult animal e.g. cows, called the "donor" is extracted from the cell (usually a skin cell taken in a biopsy) and inserted into an egg cell from another cow but female. The egg cell has had its nucleus removed so that it will read and duplicate the DNA of the donor cell. The newly created embryo is then zapped with electricity so that it starts multiplying, until it becomes a blastocyst (a small clump of cells that forms after an egg is fertilized), which is then implanted into a surrogate mother. The resulting new born will be an identical genetic replica to the donor cow. Cows have been cloned more than other animals because obtaining eggs from the cow is slightly easier than for swine, said geneticist Bill Muir of Purdue University, an author of a 2002 National Academy of Sciences report on the scientific concerns of animal biotechnology. This process differs from other methods of artificial breeding, such as in vitro fertilization, in that it uses adult cells, instead of embryos.

What animals have been cloned?

Scientists have been cloning animals for many years. In 1952 the first animal that was cloned was a tadpole. Dolly was the first mammal cloned from the cell of an adult animal; clones were created from embryonic cells.

These are some animals that have been cloned over the years:

An endangered species, the Mouflon was cloned in 2001.

The first fish cloned was the Asian carp in 1963.

The first cat cloned for money was cloned in 2004.

First World cloned calf was born on February 7, 1997.

Dewey the deer was cloned on May 23, 2003.

5 Scottish piglets (Millie, Alexis, Dotcom, Carrel, and Christa) were cloned on March 5, 2000.

Clones Libby and Lilly the first cloned ferrets were born in 2004.

In summer 2011, South Korean researchers cloned a beagle dog named Tegon.

what are the risks of cloning?

1. Cloned animals that do survive are sometimes bigger then the species usually would be. Scientists call this Large Offspring Syndrome (LOS). Clones with LOS have large organs. This can lead to breathing, blood flow and other problems. Because LOS doesn't always happen, scientists cannot tell whether it will happen to any random clone. Some clones without LOS have developed kidney or brain malformations and impaired immune systems, which can cause problems later in life.

2. Cloning animals through somatic cell nuclear transfer is not efficient. The success rate varies from 0.1 percent to 3 percent, which means that for every 1000 tries, only one to 30 clones are made. That is, 970 to 999 failures in 1000 tries. these are the reasons why:
 * The enucleated egg and the transferred nucleus may not be compatible
 * An egg with a newly transferred nucleus may not begin to divide or develop properly
 * Implantation of the embryo into the surrogate mother might fail
 * The pregnancy itself might fail

Pros and cons of cloning.

PROS CONS
 * cloning organs can be used as a way of saving human lives by transplanting
 * cloning can be used for research purposes. scientists may be able to under stand DNA and genes better
 * cloning can be used to pruduce children and select specific traits for the child
 * cloning can be used to geneticly modify plant and animals.this could help the plant/animal and also us
 * animal cruelty
 * expensive
 * 10% survival rate (small)
 * most grow up deformed

=arguments= disagreeing agreeing
 * exspensive
 * small survival rate (for clones)
 * clones grow up deformed
 * you have to die anyway
 * some need donation for somthing stupid, eg smoking
 * save lives
 * not enough organ donours

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