Therapeutic Cloning Imagine a day when the blind could see, with an optic nerve transplant, that day could be today using therapeutic cloning. Cloning for therapeutic purposes (also called research cloning and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is a type of cloning with the goal of harvesting embryonic stem cells to grow tissues and other biological products with therapeutic value (Nicholson 2001). According to the article “How to Make a Stem Cell”, an embryo, by day five, contains 250-300 cells, including stem cells that eventually transform into special tissue which can be used in transplants such as heart, muscle, and nerves (Ulick 2004). In February, 1997, Dolly the sheep, was the first mammal to be cloned. A cell from one sheep
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Through this obligation, scientists have used the study of research cloning to change the way the sick can be healed and increased their knowledge of science and health matters. Therapeutic cloning does not produce a living clone, since its purpose is to make stem cells. The process that occurs during SCNT includes a scientist taking DNA from a patient and placing it in a “hollowed out” egg cell. The egg then grows into an embryo that is a genetic replica of the donor’s DNA (Ulick 2004). Eventually, the stem cells grow into special tissue such as heart or muscle. These cells then could be transplanted into the patient to replace diseased or damaged cells without the danger of rejection by the immune system. Therapeutic cloning can aid in the following diseases: stroke, Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, diabetes, and spinal cord injuries. Overall, 74% of Americans approve of the study of research cloning for medical and scientific advancement (Farrell and Courtney …show more content…
Science has already proven that stem cells can treat serious illnesses, with the increased study and knowledge that has come from therapeutic cloning, the medical community has discovered the great benefit of treatment of stroke, Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, diabetes, and spinal cord injuries. I would like to see continued research in cloning for therapeutic purposes. As a visually impaired individual due to a brain tumor that damaged my optic nerves, therapeutic cloning holds the possibility of creating new optic nerves that could be transplanted into me. These optic nerves would be developed from my own DNA, leaving me at a much lower rate of rejection. When Dolly was first cloned, governments, the Catholic Church, and other activists were quick to call for the ban of all cloning without realizing the good that could come from cloning. Many do not realize that cloning often occurs naturally such in the case of twins and in some plants and animals such as the whiptail lizard that lay eggs without mating making all of the offspring are clones of their mother (Nicholson 2001). Maybe, the world was too quick to judge all of cloning by reproductive standards and I believe cloning for therapeutic purposes needs to be
Through this obligation, scientists have used the study of research cloning to change the way the sick can be healed and increased their knowledge of science and health matters. Therapeutic cloning does not produce a living clone, since its purpose is to make stem cells. The process that occurs during SCNT includes a scientist taking DNA from a patient and placing it in a “hollowed out” egg cell. The egg then grows into an embryo that is a genetic replica of the donor’s DNA (Ulick 2004). Eventually, the stem cells grow into special tissue such as heart or muscle. These cells then could be transplanted into the patient to replace diseased or damaged cells without the danger of rejection by the immune system. Therapeutic cloning can aid in the following diseases: stroke, Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, diabetes, and spinal cord injuries. Overall, 74% of Americans approve of the study of research cloning for medical and scientific advancement (Farrell and Courtney …show more content…
Science has already proven that stem cells can treat serious illnesses, with the increased study and knowledge that has come from therapeutic cloning, the medical community has discovered the great benefit of treatment of stroke, Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, diabetes, and spinal cord injuries. I would like to see continued research in cloning for therapeutic purposes. As a visually impaired individual due to a brain tumor that damaged my optic nerves, therapeutic cloning holds the possibility of creating new optic nerves that could be transplanted into me. These optic nerves would be developed from my own DNA, leaving me at a much lower rate of rejection. When Dolly was first cloned, governments, the Catholic Church, and other activists were quick to call for the ban of all cloning without realizing the good that could come from cloning. Many do not realize that cloning often occurs naturally such in the case of twins and in some plants and animals such as the whiptail lizard that lay eggs without mating making all of the offspring are clones of their mother (Nicholson 2001). Maybe, the world was too quick to judge all of cloning by reproductive standards and I believe cloning for therapeutic purposes needs to be