BIO108: Human Biology
CLONING
Cloning
Ashley Donald
BIO 108
Types of Cloning
• Gene Cloning – produces copies of genes
or segments of DNA
• Reproductive Cloning – produces copies
of whole animals
• Therapeutic Cloning - produces a cloned
embryo to create embryonic stem cells for
understanding and developing treatments
Some uses of this technology
1. Isolation of a particular gene, part of a
gene or region of a genome
2. Production of a desired RNA or protein
molecule in large quantities
3. Increased production efficiency for
commercially made enzymes and drugs
4. Modification of existing organisms so that
they express a trait not previously encoded
in the genome (transformation)
UNC-Asheville, s2008
Making a copy of a gene or an entire organism using DNA
from an existing individual.
CLONE
Any copy having the same genetic makeup as the original
biological entity
www.cartoonstock.com
3 types of cloning:
1. Gene (DNA) cloning
(recombinant DNA)
transfer of a DNA fragment of
interest from one organism to a
self-replicating genetic element
such as a bacterial plasmid
The DNA is then propagated in
the foreign host cell.
3 types of cloning:
2. Reproductive Cloning
make new, genetically-identical copies
of an organism, by using its own DNA
create “identical” twin, born years later
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BIO108: Human Biology UNC-Asheville, s2008

Reproductive Cloning Process

Reproductive Cloning
• Ex. Dolly the Sheep (1996)
• DNA originally from a mature somatic cell is
added into an empty oocyte (egg)
• Once the egg has developed into an early-stage
embryo inside a test-tube, it is implanted into the
womb of an adult female animal.
• Cloned animal does not always look identical to
the original animal.

http://cmgm.stanford.edu/biochem118/images/Stem%20Cell%20Slides/08%20Cloning%20Procedures.jpg

What Animals Have Been Cloned?

• Mice •Mule
• Cows •Ox
• Sheep
• Chickens •Pig
• Cat •Rabbit
• Deer
•Rat
• Dog
•Rhesus
• Horse
Monkey

Potential Applications of Potential Drawbacks of

Reproductive Cloning Reproductive Cloning
• Medicine • At least 95% of cloned animals are too
– Drug and Treatment Testing unhealthy to properly develop.
• Agriculture ƒ Increased birth size, defects of vital organs,
– Genetic Modification of cloned livestock for premature aging, immune system function, shorter
nutrient benefits life span

• Population Building of Endangered and • If development occurs, cloned animals risk

Extinct Species early death.
– Resulting species could lack genetic
variability

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BIO108: Human Biology
Cloning of Humans
• Claims:
– South Korea (1998)
– Clonaid (2002) – claimed 13 human clones
– Woo-Suk Hwang of Seoul National University
in South Korea (2004)
Cloning of Humans
• Ethical Issues:
– Could allow for “manufactured” children with
desired traits and characteristics
– Unrealistic expectations of the clone’s
similarity to the cloned individual
– Could allow for the cloning of a deceased
individual
Therapeutic Cloning
• Performed by removing healthy adult cells from
a patient, reprogramming the cell’s nuclei,
collecting and growing embryonic stem cell
clones from the resulting blastocyst, and then
inducing these to differentiate into the stem cell
or mature cell types required for transplantation
UNC-Asheville, s2008
Cloning of Humans
• Difficulties:
– Spindle proteins (essential in cell division) are
located too close to the chromosomes. Thus,
removal of the nucleus likely results in
removal of the spindle proteins as well.
– Dyes and UV light used to remove a nucleus
can damage primate cells.
3 types of cloning:
3. Therapeutic Cloning1
make new identical copies of an
organism’s cells, using its own DNA
make an early “embryo” (cell mass) from
patient’s cells and use it as a source of
stem cells
these cells can potentially be used to
replace diseased organs, cancerous
tissues, etc.
1sometimes called somatic cell nuclear transfer
Therapeutic Cloning Process
http://www.reproductivecloning.net/therapeutic_cloning.pdf
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Therapeutic Cloning STEM CELLS

• Unspecialized cells
• Potential Application • Renew themselves by division (mitosis) for long periods
-- To replace diseased or injured tissues
-- To learn more about the causes of disease
• Under certain conditions, can be induced to become cells
with specific functions (heart muscle cell, lymphocyte)
• Potential Drawbacks
• Embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells
-- Some studies show that after 60 cycles of cell division, stem
cells can mutate and lead to cancer • Stem cells can be clones of adult cells (transfer of nucleus)
• Ethical Issues or more commonly, produced by in-vitro fertilization
-- Potential of creating a cloned human
-- May violate values of individual freedom, identity, and
autonomy
-- Could help sterile couples have children
-- Requires destruction of human embryos in a test tube.

Embryonic Stem Cells

Undifferentiated cells that can potentially develop into any kind of cell
Not harvested from mother or embryo, but created in vitro (laboratory) Embryonic Stem Cells
“cell culture” • not implanted into the uterus
Cells used are at blastocyst stage • used to study development
(~30 cells; no parts, tissues or organs)
• may be mixed with chemicals to
Similar process to in-vitro fertilization help the cells take on different
(“test-tube baby”), except embryonic properties
stems cells are not implanted into • ultimately may be able to
mother introduce these cells into an adult
(therapeutic cloning)

“Adult” Stem Cells

Somewhat differentiated cells that can develop only into specific tissues
(eg. Lymphocyte stem cells) “Adult” Stem Cells
• Somewhat differentiated cells
• Can develop into certain tissues, but not necessarily all
tissues in the body
Blood stem cells can develop into RBCs, WBCs, but not muscle cells
• Can be extracted from adults, ex. from bone marrow sample
(don’t require creation of embryo)

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Why Stem Cells?

Potential benefits of stem cell research:

• understand how development works
• understand how evolution works
• diagnose and remedy birth defects
• replace damaged/diseased organs and tissues
(grow your own tissues)
• help to cure cancers & other diseases (replace
diseased or malfunctioning cells with healthy cells)
• substitute case for testing new drugs

Ethical Issues to Consider

Reminder…
• What is a human? Does a cell or group of cells, which are grown in the
lab and never implanted into a mother, deserve the rights of a human?
This isn’t science fiction –
• Is this technology too powerful? Are we trying to tamper with human
biology too much? [unpredictable consequences] These are real technologies, and remarkable opportunities and advances
in biotechnology will become available within your lifetime.
• Will we be able to engineer children to have specific traits? (ex. to get
rid of genetic disease? Tendency towards obesity? Blue eyes?) The ethical issues involved deserve your serious thought, and it is worth
understanding basics behind the technology to help make your decisions.
• Although there may be no limits on what we can modify, are there limits
Many (most?) of our political leaders have less understanding of scientific
on what we should modify?
basis behind these issues than you now do.
• Who will have access to this technology? Who will pay for it?

Sources Cited

• Cloning. The National Human Genome Research Institute.

http://www.genome.gov/pfv.cfm?pageID=25020028
• Gene Cloning. University of Nebraska –Lincoln.
http://agbiosafety.unl.edu/education/clone.htm
• Reproductive Cloning. Center for Genetics and Society.
http://geneticsandsociety.org/article.php?id=282
• Therapeutic Use of Cell Nuclear Replacement: Therapeutic Cloning.
Medical Research Council.
http://www.reproductivecloning.net/therapeutic_cloning.pdf

For Further Information:

• Cloning in Focus. Genetic Science Learning Center at the University of

Utah. http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/units/cloning/
• AAAS Policy Brief: Human Cloning. AAAS Center for Science, Technology
and Congress. http://www.aaas.org/spp/cstc/briefs/cloning/index.shtml