Kelsey Horvath

C. Maslonka
English 101-18
20 April 2015

Reproductive Cloning and the Usage of Stem Cell Research

Cloning is the process of producing genetically identical individuals by using extracted

DNA (Cloning Fact Sheet 1). The term cloning describes a number of different processes that
can be used to produce genetically identical copies of a biological entity. The copied material,
which has the same genetic makeup as the original, is referred to as a clone. Cloning originated
in the 1800s and today it has vastly improved. It has been a greatly effective process throughout
its years, making lifetime adjustments to everyday events. Currently, cloning is used to improve
foods, in medical research and the delivery of extinct organisms.
As some insite as to how a clone is delivered, one would start off with isolating the donor
nucleus from a somatic (non-reproductive) cell of the organism provided. Next one would need
to get unfertilized eggs from a female donor. Then remove the eggs nucleus so the donors
nucleus can be inserted. Once this is done, the egg can be placed into a womb and start the
developing process.
Cloning is used for genetically modifying foods such as corn and bananas. So far it has
effectively changed foods such as stated before. Bananas are actually a fruit containing seeds
whereas the ones that an individual may buy in a store do not have (Murashkina 87). Bananas
were genetically engineered to not have seeds in todays produce market. Once one particular

banana was created without seeds, it was cloned and now is consumed daily (Murashkina 88).
Each banana seen in the produce market is a clone of the original one that was genetically
engineered without seeds. The same goes for corn. The food produce is genetically modified
until it reaches the desired standards of the publics popular vote.
Cloning is also used for embryo stem cell research where the cells will be used to treat
medical conditions such as disease. Stem cells are taken from a donor and injected into a patient
with a specific health condition (Pursa 1489). The stem cells are first genetically modified to fit
the needs of the patient and are then rapidly cloned to counts of millions before injected into said
patient. This process speeds up the healing process of tissues within the body. Because stem
cells are the beginning stages of tissue, it is easily extracted, grown, and replaced wherever
desired within the body with minor complications (Pursa 1490). An intellectual with a heart
condition can have stem cells injected into the heart. The stems cells then develop into heart
tissue and proceed to have a positive impact on the heart. A recent study has shown that kids
with undeveloped immune systems can be injected with stem cell treatments for six or so months
and continue to then develop an immune system on their own and live normal lives after
treatment.
Stem cell research can also help couples who are seeking to bear children. While some
couples may stand infertile, stem cells can be injected into an egg or sperm of said couple to
produce a healthy child (Pursa 1494). Genetic malfunctions can be avoided using stem cell
therapy on egg and/or sperm of human eggs. As stated before, stem cells are a universal tissue
cell that can form into any given type of cell it is exposed to. Such couple, who are aware of
their incapability to bear children on their own, will have their eggs/sperm genetically modified
with stem cells to ensure the fetus they wish to have will be born without any malfunctions

and/or mutations (Pursa 1495). This means that by using stem cell research, it is possible for
anyone to have a healthy child as wished.
It was also revealed recently that cloning is being used in the recreation of mammals such
as woolly mammoths. Woolly mammoth DNA is combined with elephant DNA in attempt to
recreate the species (Enk 51). Because elephants are believed to be the evolution of woolly
mammoths, it is favored that these mammals are the best fit recipients for carrying the extinct
species embryos. DNA strands extracted from mammoth bones and mammoth matter are
genetically modified into sperm. An egg from an elephant is then injected with the wooly
mammoth sperm and once fertilized, the embryo is stored in a donor elephant for the gestation
period until birth. Although this experiment has not been completed, the results are theoretically
accurate and can be compared with the cloning of previous mammals (Enk 54). The art of
cloning extinct organisms can not only bring back entire populations, but also help restore the
balance of the ecosystems around the world as well.
While the idea of cloning seems to be in beneficial alliance with its viewers, there are
some controversial arguments to be had. For instance, the beliefs of religious onlookers believe
this process to be unethical and against the will of their higher powers because it can not be
considered the process of a natural birth. There is also social issues with the public about how if
a homosapien is cloned for medical purposes, it could be considered unethical to overall abolish
that particular individuals (clones) civil rights. One can not just say to the clone, You were
created in case something were to happen to so-and-so and they need a new heart. We basically
made you to take your body parts as needed. Again, we as a whole can not take away the rights
to an intellectual like demonstrated.

Reproductive cloning would present the potential of creating a human that is genetically
identical to another person who has previously existed or who still exists. This may conflict with
long-standing religious and societal values about human dignity, possibly infringing upon
principles of individual freedom, identity and autonomy. However, some argue that reproductive
cloning could help sterile couples fulfill their dream of parenthood. Others see human cloning as
a way to avoid passing on a deleterious gene that runs in the family without having to undergo
embryo screening or embryo selection. It all comes back to personal beliefs.
Although there is controversy over the reproductive idea of cloning, experimental
research and facts show that cloning is by far more beneficial than it is hazardous. The next step
will be to reach a majority of the public eye in the influential ways and hopefully soon cloning
will become an easily acceptable process of producing food, medicine and the recreation of
species.

Source Cited:

"Cloning Fact Sheet." Cloning Fact Sheet. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2015.

Enk, Jacob, Alison Devault, Regis Debruyne, Christine E. King, Todd Treangen, Dennis
O'rourke, Steven L. Salzberg, Daniel Fisher, Ross Macphee, and Hendrik Poinar.
"Complete Columbian Mammoth Mitogenome Suggests Interbreeding with Woolly
Mammoths." Genome Biology 12.5 (2011): R51. Web. 18 Apr. 2015.
Lau, Joann M., and David L. Robinson. "Effectiveness of a Cloning and Sequencing
Exercise on Student Learning with Subsequent Publication in the National Center
for Biotechnology Information GenBank." CBE Life Sciences Education. American
Society for Cell Biology, 2009. Web. 18 Apr. 2015.
Marushkina, Olena. "Genetically Modified Food."
Http://iscs.fem.sumdu.edu.ua/data/ISCS_Materials_2009.pdf#page=86. Tavria
State Agro Technological University, Melitopol, Zaporizhia Region, Ukraine, n.d. Web.
19 Apr. 2015.

Prusa, AndreaRomana. "Human Reproduction." Oct4expressing Cells in Human

Amniotic Fluid: A New Source for Stem Cell Research? N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Apr.
2015.