Druga gimnazija Sarajevo IB Middle Years Programme

Biology Molecular biology

Cloning
AOI: AtL, HI, C&S

Student: Selma Halilbegovic Class: I2 MYP

Teacher: Elvira Kukuljac

Date : 20.5.2012.

Cloning is process of creating object which has exact genetic material as another one. 1 It is very interesting field of biology for scientists as well as other people, but we still do not know much about how humans can be cloned. Method of cloning is very simple when it comes to explaining steps of it, but experimentally it is very hard to obtain it. However, humans have not been cloned yet, but animals and plants have. First animal cloned was frog in 1950s. There are three types of cloning reproductive cloning, therapeutic cloning and DNA cloning. 2 Reproductive cloning is type of cloning where genetic material from donor cell is taken and put into egg cell of surrogate mother. 3 Then, the egg cell is put into uterus of host organism, and with usage of mild electric shock is forced to divide, so producing embryo.
4

This process

results in the creation of new animal. In 1996, Scottish scientists announced that first animal was cloned. It was sheep Dolly. 5 Even though this process has not been brought to perfection, it can help us in many aspects of life. At first, reproductive cloning does not look like something that is useful, but it actually is. Firstly, it is very useful in agriculture. The best animal can be cloned many times, and so the farmer can have the field with the best animals. The same is with plants you clone your best plants, and you get healthy, strong crops. 6 However, there are also disadvantages of cloning in agriculture. Lets take example of cloned plants. As all plants are the same, the best, we disrupt natural process of surviving only the best species. So, all these plants are exposed to same chances of getting the same disease. So, if disease hits one plant, it will most likely hit the others as well as all of those are identical. Also, there are chances that human will get cancer or other abnormalities because of cloned plants.7 Second type of cloning, therapeutic cloning is about giving us ready source of stem cells when needed. It is about giving us type of cells for certain organ when needed. It could help us to grow a replacement organ when needed. For instance, if you had your skin cells stored somewhere waiting for ideal opportunity to be used, you could use those to, theoretically, replace
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Learn Genetics; Genetic Science Learning Center. What is Cloning? th <http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/tech/cloning/whatiscloning/> May 18 , 2012. 2 th Wise Geek. What are Some Types of Cloning? <http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-some-types-of-cloning.htm> May 18 , 2012.. nd 3 Campbell, Neil A., Jane B. Reece, Eric J. Simon. Essential Biology 1 with Physiology. 2 ed. San Francisco: Benjamin Cummings, 2007. Page 209. 4 Pregnancy. Therapeutic Cloning vs. Reproductive Cloning <http://www.pregnancyth info.net/StemCell/therapeutic_vs_reproductive.html> May 18 , 2012. 5 th Wise Geek. What is Reproductive Cloning? <http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-reproductive-cloning.htm> May 18 , 2012. 6 eHow. What are the Advantages of Cloning in Agriculture? <http://www.ehow.com/facts_5750461_advantages-cloningth agriculture_.html> May 18 , 2012. 7 eHow. The Advantages of Plant Cloning <http://www.ehow.co.uk/about_5480031_advantages-plant-cloning.html> May th 18 , 2012..

your burned skin with your already taken cells. Also, brain cells could be used after certain brain damage. There is similarity between reproductive and therapeutic cloning. Beginnings of those are the same, but end products are different. In reproductive cloning, genetic material is taken and put into egg cell without its nucleus. In therapeutic cloning, egg is used to develop stem cells which could further produce cells of damaged organ, while in reproductive cloning egg is used will possibly grow into baby.8 This type of cloning, therapeutic cloning, involves cloning human embryos, and after five days stem cells of new embryos are taken. Process of taking stem cells from embryos involve destroying embryo potential life, and so is considered as immoral process.9 It is forbidden in most of countries.10 However, it is good that you have stem cells taken at your birth waiting for you, because it is good way of possible cure for you in future. It is expensive, but cannot be compared to its possible function in future if you get disease. Also, you do not have to worry that your body will reject the new organ body forms, as stem cells used in cloning are your own. This process is not still done experimentally, as it is hard to develop one single organ without influences of others. Two American geneticists Joshua Lederberg and Edward Tatum worked with E. Coli and so developed DNA cloning or recombinant DNA technology which is about combining genes from different sources into single DNA molecule.
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Process of DNA cloning is very simple and

is widely used in todays world. Gene from one organism is taken and inserted into the DNA of host cell. Inserted gene may be a human gene producing protein which is very important in medical value, or maybe certain plant gene which is in charge to repel pest insects. The host cell now carries recombinant DNA and is called transgenic organism or genetically modified organism.12

8 9

Wise Geek. What is Therapeutic Cloning? <http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-therapeutic-cloning.htm> May 18 , 2012. th Wise Geek. What are Some Types of Cloning? <http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-some-types-of-cloning.htm> May 18 , 2012. 10 Pregnancy. Therapeutic Cloning vs. Reproductive Cloning <http://www.pregnancyth info.net/StemCell/therapeutic_vs_reproductive.html> May 18 , 2012. 11 nd Campbell, Neil A., Jane B. Reece, Eric J. Simon. Essential Biology 1 with Physiology. 2 ed. San Francisco: Benjamin Cummings, 2007. Page 221. 12 nd Campbell, Neil A., Jane B. Reece, Eric J. Simon. Essential Biology 1 with Physiology. 2 ed. San Francisco: Benjamin Cummings, 2007. Page 221.

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The most famous product of recombinant DNA technology is surely insulin. Gene for producing insulin is taken and inserted in bacteria Escherichia Coli which is placed in pancreas.13 Scientists take E. Coli because it multiplies very fast. So, as the gene is inserted, the bacteria produces insulin and helps people with diabetes. Also, Golden Fishes are famous in terms of recombinant DNA technology. They have been inserted gene for fluorescent color, and so scientists will use them to detect polluted waterways. and adolescence. 15 As we could see from this paper, cloning is very important in our everyday life, we have many advantages of it, but also disadvantages. Cloning is widely used in medicine, agriculture, and science. 16 The fact that the cloned cells can be made to produce cells of damaged tissues and organs may help us in future with treatment of diseases like Alzheimers.
17 14

Also, this type of cloning is used in

producing HGH (human growth hormone), as low levels of it may cause dwarfism in childhood

Also, therapeutic

cloning may be used in future in terms of producing new organs, which would be good for people, as they would have organ identical to possibly damaged one. This is very good way of treatment, unlike transplantations because there are less chances that your body will reject the new organ as it is made out of your own cells. Unfortunately, this method is not possible yet, as scientists have not managed to develop organ alone, without influences of others. Also, cloning can be used as way of multiplying plants, instead of using seeds, but this way you could also multiply your best plants, but that increases chances of plants getting diseases. The bad thing about cloning is that there have been many failed attempts at cloning. 18 So, it is very inefficient. Many embryos die before birth as well. Before they got Dolly, scientists faced with death of around 277 embryos. 19 Also, as all genetic material is inherited together with diseases, there is possibility that clone will inherit abnormality or disease. The biggest problem with cloning, and probably biggest reason why is cloning still controversial is the fact that
13

Endocrine Web. Diabetes: What is Insulin? <http://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/diabetes/diabetes-what-insulin> th May 18 , 2012. 14 Wise Geek. What is Recombinant DNA Technology? <http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-recombinant-dnath technology.htm> May 18 , 2012. 15 nd Campbell, Neil A., Jane B. Reece, Eric J. Simon. Essential Biology 1 with Physiology. 2 ed. San Francisco: Benjamin Cummings, 2007. Page 222. 16 th eHow. Pros & Cons of Cloning <http://www.ehow.com/about_5453902_pros-cons-cloning.html> May 18 , 2012. 17 th Methods of Healing. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Cloning <http://www.methodsofhealing.com/the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-cloning/> May 18 , 2012. 18 th eHow. Pros & Cons of Cloning <http://www.ehow.com/about_5453902_pros-cons-cloning.html> May 18 , 2012. 19 Methods of Healing. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Cloning <http://www.methodsofhealing.com/the-advantagesth and-disadvantages-of-cloning/> May 18 , 2012.

embryo must die in order for scientists to get stem cells, which causes moral problems, as one individual dies. 20 As cloning is copy of one human to create another one, some people consider it immoral and ethical problem, as then people lose their individuality and there are no variations in their genetic material.
21

I, as student studying biology, am against cloning entire human organisms.

Why? Because so we lose our individuality and uniqueness. I think that we should not go against nature, but to stay who we are. On the other side, I totally agree with using cloning to produce organs or tissues, which will be very good job related to science in future, even though it is expensive and available to rich people only.

20

National Human Genome Research Institute. What are some of the ethical issues related to cloning? th <http://www.genome.gov/25020028#al-15> May 18 , 2012. 21 The Farns Worths. To Clone or not to Clone: Ethical Question <http://www.thefarnsworths.com/science/cloning.htm> th MMay 18 , 2012.

References
Books:
1. Campbell, Neil A., Jane B. Reece, Eric J. Simon. Essential Biology 1 with Physiology. 2 nd ed. San Francisco: Benjamin Cummings, 2007.

Web pages:
1. Learn Genetics; Genetic Science Learning Center. What is Cloning? <http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/tech/cloning/whatiscloning/> May 18th, 2012. 2. Pregnancy. Therapeutic Cloning vs. Reproductive Cloning <http://www.pregnancyinfo.net/StemCell/therapeutic_vs_reproductive.html> May 18th, 2012. 3. Wise Geek. What is Reproductive Cloning? <http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-reproductivecloning.htm> May 18th, 2012. 4. eHow. What are the Advantages of Cloning in Agriculture? <http://www.ehow.com/facts_5750461_advantages-cloning-agriculture_.html> May 18th, 2012. 5. eHow. The Advantages of Plant Cloning <http://www.ehow.co.uk/about_5480031_advantages-plantcloning.html> May 18th, 2012. 6. 7. Wise Geek. What is Therapeutic Cloning? <http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-therapeutic-cloning.htm>
May 18 , 2012.
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Wise Geek. What are Some Types of Cloning? <http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-some-types-ofcloning.htm> May 18th, 2012.

8.

Endocrine Web. Diabetes: What is Insulin? <http://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/diabetes/diabetes-what-insulin> May 18th, 2012.

9.

Wise Geek. What is Recombinant DNA Technology? <http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-recombinantdna-technology.htm> May 18th, 2012.

10. eHow. Pros & Cons of Cloning <http://www.ehow.com/about_5453902_pros-cons-cloning.html> May

18 , 2012.
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11. National Human Genome Research Institute. What are some of the ethical issues related to cloning? <http://www.genome.gov/25020028#al-15> May 18th, 2012. 12. The Farns Worths. To Clone or not to Clone: Ethical Question <http://www.thefarnsworths.com/science/cloning.htm> May 18th, 2012. 13. Methods of Healing. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Cloning <http://www.methodsofhealing.com/the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-cloning/> May 18th, 2012.