The informative paper focused on the idea of cloning and was used to further inform the general public about what cloning is and the controversy surrounding it after it became a concern to many. This paper is aimed to inform those who might not have knowledge about the topic.  

 

Is Cloning a Threat to Our Society?

Jennifer Sanchez-Flores

English 21003

Writing for the Sciences

Professor Debra Williams

 

“The word ‘impossible’ is not a scientific term” – Vanessa Bonta. Science continues to surprise us. Various breakthroughs all throughout history has provided us with advancements we can’t imagine living without. Take for example, antibiotics, water purification, or fire. These are all things science has given us. There was a time when cloning was barely a thought. It was imagination to most. In the 1950s, cloning began to be studied by scientists. However, it wasn’t until 1996, that the first mammal, known as Dolly the Sheep, was cloned causing controversy and splitting the population between those who approved of cloning, and those who didn’t.  It did also leave many wondering about cloning, unsure about what position they should take. Since then, various research has occurred to discover more about cloning including the use of aborted babies from planned parenthood. Although the idea of cloning raises many ethical concerns, there is various information that the public lacks in order to determine their perspective on cloning.

The word cloning brings up certain false images and ideas in someone’s head. Cloning creates new cells with the identical DNA of its ‘parent’ cell. This process can occur through fission or fusion. Cloning by fission is done either through blastocyst division or blastomere separation. Blastocyst division applies heat which splits an embryo and eventually leads both identified cal cells to grow separately. Blastomere Separation involves removing of a blastocyst. Cells then grow separately into an embryo. This produces a limited about of new embryos. Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is cloning by fusion. For this process to occur, an egg has to get denucleated and a different nucleus is placed into its cytoplasm resulting in a new embryo.  “Using this technique, a theoretically endless number of clones can be created from the same individual. SCNT is the only method currently available that might be used to clone existing or pre-existing people.” (Savulescu 2005) This type of cloning is what led scientists to successfully clone Dolly the Sheep. This reproductive cloning is what led many to wonder if, or when, this will happen in humans. Laws all over the world have thwarted this process from occurring in humans, but has not eliminated the use of SCNT, because is is also used in therapeutic cloning. Therapeutic cloning produces stem cells or organs used for transplants. Cloning through SCNT is currently used to treat many sick patients. Various people don’t have an issue with therapeutic cloning, but draw the line when it comes to reproductive cloning despite the similar process used. Without context and more information, the term cloning can make people quickly shake their head in disapproval.                

The term cloning brings up doubts and negativity that many fail to look at the positives. Like mentioned before, therapeutic cloning produces stem cells for the benefits of many sick patients in need. Those in need of organ transplants, including the heart, liver or kidneys, require a proper donor, matching their blood type. Even after a transplant, the organ could be rejected by the patient. Currently there are over 100,000 people on the United States transplant list, but only 11,000 donors. (UNOS) This means that many will die waiting for a transplant. Cloning can provide life saving organs for those in need. Only a healthy cell is needed for a clone to be made resulting in a perfect match for donation. Thousands of lives can be saved. Tissue from unborn children can also be used to save lives. The use of tissue from aborted children is used strictly for research purposes. “One of the earliest advances with fetal tissue was to use fetal kidney cells to create the first polio virus vaccines, which are now estimated to save 550,000 lives worldwide every year” many advancements arose from these fetuses. More research leads to achievements in the scientific field and the polio virus vaccine was one of them. Couples struggling with conceiving children can also use cloning to start a family. This is different from adopting because their child with be genetically related to the parent. “Genetic tests could be used to identify the embryo with the prospect of the longest and healthiest life.” (Savulescu 2005) Not only would cloning give couples a child to raise, but the guarantee of a healthy child. SCNT could be the answer many couples are looking for. Not only would this benefit humans, but animals as well. D

olly the sheep raised many questions on the future of cloning. It proved its possibility. With the DNA of an endangered or an extinct animal, an egg that DNA will go inside of, and a host that will carry the embryo, we have the ability to bring back species that have gone extinct or endangered (Jabr 2013). However, cloning can not directly tackle the reasons for their extinction, rather only the extinction itself. Despite its positives, cloning does raise reasonable concerns that should be addressed. However, not all of these issues have a simple answer.

Many people are alarmed at the issues and ethical questions that cloning raises. Cloning is not natural. To many, it spikes fear and worry about creating something natural unnaturally. However, twins have been argued to be nature’s clones. For twins to become identical twins, a fertilized egg splits into two separate cells with the same genetic information which continues to develop into different a child. Identical twins come from the same sperm and egg, while fraternal twins do not. Others would argue that cloning humans would only result in a high population with the loss of individuality or diversity. However, even twins grow up to have two different identities and personalities. “All these variations in terms of experience and stimulation will generate differences in terms of self concept, identity development and personality development.” (Morales 2009) Twins and clones alike will share genetic information, but what someone experiences and their environment can’t be identical for any two people. Someone’s experiences will always be unique resulting in unique personalities. However, it can’t be argued that there are many unknowns about the field of cloning because there have been laws issued to prevent further expansion and research on human cloning. While a regular sheep lives for an average of twelve years, Dolly the Sheep only lived to be six years until she died. This news once again sparked attention. There are many unknowns about human cloning, as there was about cloning in general, but science will keep expanding, as it has been for centuries.

Cloning is an area of study that requires research to fully understand and make opinions on. Using corpses from planned parenthood raises various ethical concerns and alarms many when they hear it on the news. However, the word “cloning” alone is broad and without context, it is uncertain on what is being spoken about. The news often lacks this content which is why it is important for all of us to come up with our own firm knowledge of this subject to understand and alleviate our fear or worries about cloning.

 

Work Cited

Jabr, F. (2013, March 11). Will Cloning Ever Save Endangered Animals? Retrieved from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cloning-endangered-animals/

Morales, N. M., (2009). Psychological aspects of human cloning and genetic manipulation: The identity and uniqueness of human beings. Reproductive BioMedicine. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints in Context.  

Savulescu, J. (2005). The ethics of cloning. The Medical Publishing Company. Opposing Viewpoints in Context.

Storrs, C. (2017, December 8). How exactly fetal tissue is used in medicine. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2015/07/17/health/fetal-tissue-explainer/index.html

UNOS. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://unos.org/data/