The Mystery of Cloning

A Research Paper

4/17/2012

Jessica L. Sklenar

Topic~ What is “cloning?” Research and describe the process of cloning. Where and when has it occurred? What are the advantages and disadvantages? What are your opinions about this activity? Why is it a controversial topic?
Sub Topic	Fact	Paraphrased	Source
Clone Definition	“Clone: To make a copy of.”	To clone is to make a copy of something or someone.	(Clone)
Cloning (Adults)	“Contrary to depictions in movies, cloning does not create instant carbon copies of adults.”	When in the process of cloning, adult copies may not occur right away.	(Dudley, 2006)
Cloning (Animals)	“In addition to slight genetic differences, cloned animals differ in how their genes may express themselves and in the environment in which they are raised.”	When cloning animals, these animals, while they may be clones of another, these animals may express themselves in many different ways.	(Dudley, 2006)
Dolly The Sheep	“Since the 1997 announcement that scientists had successfully created a cloned sheep (named Dolly), researchers have created cloned cattle, pigs, goats, and other farm animals.”	Scientists have begun to clone farm animals ever since the 1997 successful attempt to create a cloned sheep (Dolly).	(Dudley, 2006)
Early Cloning	“Early methods of cloning in the 1970s involved a technology called embryo splitting, or blastomere separation. Embryos were split into several cells and then implanted into a surrogate mother for growth and development.
Laws Against Cloning	“As of July 2004, only 30 of the 191 states recognized by the United Nations have passed laws banning human reproductive cloning.”	Of all of the states recognized by the United Nations, 30 out of the 191 states have passed laws prohibiting human cloning.	(Dudley, 2006)
United States	“President George W. Bush advocated banning both reproductive and therapeutic cloning.”	Past president, George W. Bush supported the idea of banning reproductive and therapeutic cloning.	(Dudley, 2006)
DNA cloning (different types of cloning)	“To "clone a gene," a DNA fragment containing the gene of interest is isolated from chromosomal DNA using restriction enzymes and then united with a plasmid that has been cut with the same restriction enzymes. When the fragment of chromosomal DNA is joined with its cloning vector in the lab, it is called a "recombinant DNA molecule."”

Author’s Note: I am writing this piece to show my knowledge on cloning. I hope that you enjoy this piece and that you learn a little something from it as well.

Everyone is different; no two people exactly the same, or are they? Due to research, scientists are starting to explore further into the unknown, into the world of cloning. Thanks to Dolly the “cloned” sheep back in 1997, the idea of cloning has seemed to become even more possible (Dudley, 2006). Although we have yet to clone a human, we have come incredibly far in the field of cloning since research on this topic began.

Just like everything in life, you have to start somewhere, the same goes with cloning. The first cloning experiments, back in the 1970’s were formed by Embryo Splitting (Dudley, 2006). A term in which scientist would split an embryo into several little cells then implant the embryo into certain mother, so it could grow and develop (Dudley, 2006). While this method was effective later on (because they used adult cells instead of child cells), it was not very predictable because scientist had no way of knowing what the characteristics of this offspring may be (Dudley, 2006). Therefore scientists decided to further advance our technology so certain cloning was possible, this also brought us a lot of the technology advancements and cloning methods that we have today.

After a number of years and further development of ideas and technology for cloning, scientist have been able to make not one, but many clones and have even started to experiment with human cloning. One of the different ways to clone that scientists newly created is called reproductive cloning, which involved using a certain cloning technology to create an embryo that is placed into a uterus where it is grown and developed into a another being (Dudley, 2006). This method is usually performed when experimenting with human cloning (Dudley, 2006). Thusly greater expanding our knowledge of cloning and creating wider spread possibilities in the field of cloning.

Over the years cloning technology has advanced so greatly that there has developed great differences, as well as the occasional similarities. The greatest similarity between the two cloning methods is that they both used embryos while cloning and then placed them into a female for development. One of the greatest differences however between the two was that one was done by hand and the other through a computerized system. This also goes to show just how much technology can advance over time. Another difference between the two methods is that, reproductive cloning used adult embryos while the 1970’s version of embryo splitting did not. Due to this fact a lot more clones were able to be made using reproductive cloning, because these animals were able to form a lot easier.

Though the world of cloning has grown greatly over the years, from animal cloning to ever the possibility of human cloning there is still greater work to be done in this field. But as technology advances it is also showing that this field will continue to be experimented greatly over the next couple of years. Who knows what the future may hold? Maybe one day you’ll have a clone of your own.

Bibliography

Clone . (n.d.). Retrieved April 18, 2012, from Merriam- Webster : http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cloning

Cloning Fact Sheet. (2009 , May 11). Retrieved April 17, 2012, from Human Genome Project Information : http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/cloning.shtml

Dudley, W. (2006). Writing the Critical Essay Cloning. Farmington Hills : Thompson Gale.