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Biowissenschaften

HAK Eisenerz

2006

Nicolas S. ©
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What is Cloning?

Presentation in English  - Englisch Referat


Contents

1    Introduction – What does cloning mean?1

2    Difference between Reproductive and Therapeutic Cloning?2

3    Why do scientists want to clone embryos for research?3

4    Religious arguments against cloning. 4

5    Benefits of human cloning. 5

6    Stem cell therapy. 6


1      Introduction – What does cloning mean?

The First Question should be „What do we mean by human cloning?“ A definition: Human cloning is the production of a genetic copy of another human organism. Cloning involves the creation of an embryo which is an identical copy of another human being.

Clones can be created through dividing an embryo at its earliest stage (creating two identical embryos). They can also be created using Cell Nuclear Replacement , the technique which was used to create Dolly the Sheep in 1997. In Cell Nuclear Replacement the nucleus of one cell is placed into an egg which has had its own nucleus removed.

It is then stimulated to divide so that it becomes a clone. The Gouvernment has sought to make a distinction between “therapeutic” and “reproductive” cloning. However the process of creating a human life in embryo form is the same in either case.

Important:

  • You have to distinguish between Reproductive Cloning and Therapeutic Cloning.
  • On the next chapter I will explain the difference between those two styles of cloning.


2      Difference between Reproductive and Therapeutic Cloning?

Reproductive Cloning: In reproductive Cloning the created embryo is implanted into a human womb, leading to the birth of a human being. Whilst this is now technically possible, it has never been done anywhere in the world. The Government has announced its intention to make “reproductive” cloning specifically illegal.

In other words you could say that in “reproductive” cloning the developing embryo would be allowed to continue growing as a copy of the donor from whom he or she was created. Reproductive cloning could be used in fertilitytreatment, to provide a copy of a person we wish to reproduce, or even to provide a living source of “spare parts” for the donor.

Tissue or bone marrow, for example, could be taken from the live clone, or vital organs such as heart or brain harvested.

A good example for such visions we can watch in the movie “THE ISLAND”, which was in our cinemas about two years ago and showed the danger of this technique, if it comes into the false hands.


Therapeutic Cloning:

This style of cloning also creates human beings in embryo form through cloning, but the embryos are experimented upon and destroyed.

Therapeutic cloning has no therapeutic value  for the subject involved. In fact it is literally lethal, necessarily bringing about the death of the embryo.

In other words: In “therapeutic” cloning normal growth of the cloned embryo would not be allowed to continue past the stage (first days of life) when the embryonic cells were not yet fully differentiated. It is thought that these cells (embryonic stem cells) could be programmed to multiply to produce specific human tissue, etc.

This could be then used in transplant therapies.


3      Why do scientists want to clone embryos for research?

There are several reasons why it could be “interesting” for scientists to clone embryos for research.

Stem cells” are of great importance to research into curing human diseases. Stem cells are a unique kind of cell that can potentially develop into any other human cell. It is the need for these cells which is the background to the whole debate on cloning.

Another point is that “Stem cells” are found in human embryos and in human tissue such as bone marrow. Human embryos are very difficult to come by as it involves extracting femals ova by an operation and then fertilising them.


Important: However, taking stem cells from an embryo necessarily involves the destruction of the embryo. Currently the supply of embryos comes as a by-product of In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF). The Parents donate their excess embryos for the research.


4      Religious arguments against cloning

Human cloning creates human beings- from conception

Whether it be “therapeutic” or “reproductive” cloning- both techniques create human life. Life is sacred from conception. The embryo has personhood at conception regardless of how that conception comes about. Once a new life has been created through cloning there is no moral distinction between it and any other embryo.

All embryos deserve our protection.

“Therapeutic” cloning is morally repugnant because it creates life with the specific  aim of experimentation and destruction. The Stem cells are extracted for research and the embryo dies.  In the USA this practice has been called “technological cannibalism” by one pro-life group.

Human cloning usurps God`s position as the Almighty Creator.

When you take a look into the holy bible you can find several parts, which discuss the topic of human life, here is an example just in modern words:

“Children are a gift from God. No one has the “right” to have children even thogh they may be earnestly desired and infertility is usually found to be deeply distressing. However, cloning and many forms of in-vitro fertilisation make commodities out of children who are “made to order”. Procreation is taken out of God`s hands and given to man!”


5      Benefits of human cloning

There are many ways in which human cloning is expected to benefit mankind. Below is a list that is far from complete .

  • Rejuvenation: The Scientist Dr. Richard Seed suggests that it may someday possible to reverse the ageing process because of what we learn from cloning.
  • Human cloning technology could be used to reverse heart attacks through cloning the healthy heart cells and injecting them into the areas of the heart that have been damaged.
  • Embryonic stem cells can be grown to produce organs or tissues to repair or replace damaged ones. Skin for burn victims, brain cells for the brain damaged, hearts, lungs, livers and so on could be produced. The possibilties are numerous.
  • Infertility: With cloning, infertile couples could have children
  • Defective genes: The average person carries 8 defective genes inside them. These genes allow people to become sick when they would otherwise remain healthy. With human cloning and its technology it may be possible to ensure that we no longer suffer of our defective genes.
  • Cancer: We may learn how to switch cells on and off through cloning and thus be able to cure cancer.
  • Leukemia: We should be able to clone the bone marrow for children and adults suffering from leukaemia. This is expected to be one of the first benefits to come from cloning technology.

These are just a few examples of benefits from cloning and its technology, but there are more, nearly countless, possibilities which could help to make human life easier, longer or simple better.


The replacement bone-marrow contains blood stem cells which make new, cancer-free, blood cells.

What are stem cells? Stemm cells are self-replicating and can also generate a number of more specialised cell types as they multiply. They are plentiful in the early embryo, but scarce and very difficult to find in adult tissues. The variety of other cell types that stem cells can produce becomes severely limited during development.


Important Facts:

  • The Stem cell therapy research does not necessarily involve cloning.
  • It is in its infance, with much work yet to be done.
  • It  has potential application in many currently incurable conditions.
  • There are promising initial results with experimental transplants in humans and animals.
  • The First clinical applications are expected in 5-10 years.
  • One day this technique could provide a source of replacement tissues and organs.


The Words I listed below are everewhere spread in the Map, but all words you find here are written “cursive” in the Texts for helping you to find them easier.

English

German

dividing

teilen

nucleus

Der Kern

has sought

.hat danach gestrebt .

womb

Mutterleib

donor

Der Spender

fertility treatment

Behandlung der Fruchtbarkeit

tissue

Gewebe

literally lethal

Im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes tödlich sein

differentiated

abgegrenz

to multiply

sich vervielfachen

stem cells

Die Stammzellen

femals ova

Die Eizelle der Frau

in vitro fertilisation

künstliche Befruchtung

conception

die Empfängnis

repugnant

abscheulich

to usurp

aneignen

commodities

Waren, Bedarfsartikel

infertility

Unfruchtbarkeit

to emerge

Aufkommen, entstehend

It`s in ist infance

Steckt noch in den Kinderschuhen

pursuing

Hier: der Entwicklung von… …nachgehen


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