Cloning techniques and applications

¶ … cloning and its details. Cloning is an ethical and moral issue that is supercharged for debate. There are many issues surrounding cloning, and it can be misunderstood. Cloning is not an issue that is just about humans and the reproduction of other humans. Cloning first began as a scientific experiment to clone animals, and the first clone, Dolly the sheep, showed that the process worked. Cloning is actually a natural phenomenon, but it has become so controversial that it is often viewed as an unnatural way to create new life.

First, it is important to define cloning and how cloning occurs. A cloning expert notes, "Cloning refers to asexual reproduction, reproduction without 'fertilization'. A cloned individual […] may result from two different processes: (1) Embryo splitting: this sometimes gives rise to monozygotic twins but can also result in identical triplets or even quadruplets. (2) Cell Nuclear Replacement (CNR) or Cell Nuclear Transfer (CNT)."

The scope of cloning is truly monumental, because it can apply to just about any life form, from humans all the way down to animals and plants. That is one reason it is so controversial, because many people believe that it has so many implications for humanity that it is a dangerous, even immoral method of reproduction, no matter what scientists use it for.

In essence, cloning has always been a part of humanity, because the process of forming twins and multiple births in the womb is a form of natural cloning, because most twins form as a result of an embryo splitting.

There is another aspect to the subject of cloning that is larger than life, and raises concerns with many people. Some types of cloning use stem cells from embryos, and people believe this is wrong and unethical, especially if they use human embryos. However, stem cell research could lead to finding answers to many medical diseases and illnesses, such as learning how to grow new organs to replace cancerous organs or cells, which would be a breakthrough in medicine and boon to humankind. Expert Harris continues, "Stem cells are cells that have the capacity to give rise to different cell types and therefore to develop into different bodily tissues and organs."

This is just another reason that cloning is controversial and raises ethical questions.

Actually, while the cloning of Dolly the sheep made news in 1996, scientists have known about the act of cloning for many years. Harris continues, "The technique of embryo splitting has been known and usable for many years and yet there has neither been pressure to adopt this deliberately to produce clones nor any apparent regret that this has not been done."

Many people fear that cloning would ultimately lead to scientists creating cloned humans, and that is morally and ethically wrong. They also believe that using embryos and destroying them in stem cell research is morally and ethically wrong, which is only one reason that makes it so controversial and emotional for many opponents of cloning.

One of the most serious problems with cloning is the use of embryos, which right-to-life advocates staunchly oppose. Harris note, "Since currently the most promising source of stem cells for research and therapeutic purposes is either aborted fetuses or pre-implantation embryos, their recovery and use for current practical purposes seems to turn crucially on the moral status of the embryo and the fetus."

However, stem cells harvested from fetuses and embryos have shown promising results in a number of diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, which is why well-known people like Nancy Reagan and Michael J. Fox have come out in support of the research. Former President Reagan suffered from Alzheimer's, gaining Nancy Reagan's support, and Fox suffers from Parkinson's. Two other writers note, "The goal of therapeutic cloning, in turn, is not the birth of a human, but the extraction of replacement tissue or re- placement organs in order to heal serious, degenerative diseases (for example, brain and nerve disorders such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's)."

However, there are still moral and ethical issues regarding therapeutic cloning, and that helps develop misunderstanding and distrust of the idea of cloning and stem cell research. Many scientists believe that someday, humans could become almost "immortal" if stem cell research develops to its full potential, so there are many reasons to ensure that research continues in these areas.

Cloning and stem cell research are intertwined, but cloning is involved with other related topics, as well. One topic is animal cloning, both agricultural and pet cloning. Scientists believe that cloning agricultural animals, such as Dolly, will ultimately create healthier, safer animals for human consumption. Another author notes, "In judging the ethics of cloning animals that will be healthier to eat or will advance science or medicine, there is a natural argument to be made that the technique will serve the greater human good."

In addition, an expert in agricultural cloning writes, "Breeders can produce better and safer food by cloning rare animals that produce leaner meat, for example, or are especially resistant to common livestock diseases. Researchers in Asia have even cloned a cow that appears to be resistant to mad cow disease."

However, at least one firm is engaging in pet cloning. Their first cat was delivered to a client in 2004, and they expanded to dog cloning in 2005. Many critics believe this is going too far, and that ethically, cloning pets is far removed from the "greater human good." The price tag is steep as well. In 2004, the cost to clone a cat was $30,000.

In addition, studies show that many cloned animals do not live as long and their naturally born counterparts. Author Fiester continues, "In one study of cloned pigs, researchers reported a 50% mortality rate for the live offspring, with five out of ten dying between three and one hundred and thirty days of age from ailments including chronic diarrhea, congestive heart failure, and decreased growth rate."