Introduction

• Cloning has the potential to create sentient and

non-sentient life.
• Mammalian cloning has been achieved through a
nuclear transfer process as well as cell splitting.
• Agricultural cloning is widely used in crops.
• The cloning of mammalian life from adult cells
using nuclear transfer leads to a host of ethical
issues about the use of this technology.
Drug Resistance Gene Transferred by Plasmid
Drug Resistant Gene

mRNA
Plasmid

Resistant Strain Plasmid gets out and

into the host cell Enzyme
Hydrolyzing
Antibiotics
New Resistance Strain

Non-resistant Strain
Juang RH (2004) BCbasics
 Target Genes Carried by Plasmid
Target Genes

Chromosomal DNA
Restriction Restriction
Enzyme Enzyme

DNA Recombination
Target Gene
Recombination

Transformation
Host Cells
1 plasmid
Recombinant 1 cell
Plasmid
Transformation
Juang RH (2004) BCbasics
Amplification and Screening of Target Gene

1
Plating

1 cell line, 1 colony

Plasmid
Bacteria X100 Duplication
Duplication
X1,000

Pick the colony

containing target gene
=100,000 Juang RH (2004) BCbasics
 Professional Issues?
• Mammalian cloning, although possible, involves high
degrees of risks to both donor and recipient.
– Spontaneous abortion, fetal size, etc.
• The long range problems are as yet unknown.
– Aging, etc.
– Research into Dolly has revealed that she may
have telomeres on her chromosomes similar to
those from the cell from which she was derived.
The telomeres are small pieces of DNA that help
to protect chromosomes from damage. Very young
animals have long telomeres, but as the animal
ages, the telomeres are worn away.
 Ethical Issues?
• Physical harm to embryos
– Dolly was 1 of 277, 276 perished!
• Eugenics
• Poor use of scarce resources
• Human right to a unique identity
• Treating People As Objects
• Freedom of Scientific Inquiry
 Stakeholders?

• Individual being cloned

• Mother carrying fetus
• Spontaneously aborted fetuses
• Potential offspring
• Society
 Consequences:
• The greatest happiness is achieved
by the least trauma to society.
– Human cloning is fraught with dangers.
– Δ Human cloning should be banned.
• Sufficient scientific research can
be gained by research into animals.
– Δ Animal cloning should be permitted
on a restricted basis.
• Agricultural cloning can lead to total
crop failure.
 Individual Rights/Fairness:
• Some religions and cultures consider the fetus to have
human rights, therefore, the rights of the
spontaneously aborted fetus is in violation of this
right.
• The cost of this procedure is prohibitive. Funds could
be better used for other medical research.
• The medical moral standard of “do no harm” is called
into question.
 Common Good:

• Animal cloning may lead to new findings

that will benefit humankind.
• Agricultural cloning leads to more stable
and predictable crops.
• Human cloning may eventually lead to
better quality of life.
 Final Decision?

• Human cloning should be banned.

• Animal cloning should be allowed under
restricted circumstances.
• Caution should be used in Agricultural
cloning.
 Human Clones?

Are there human clones?

Yes – Identical Twins
(Time 2.19.01)