Research Ethic: Responsible

Conduct

Cloning

Cloning is the production of one or more

organisms genetically identical to the
parent that donated the cell.

This is also called organismal cloning.

Other type of cloning is gene/cell cloning; the

division of an asexually reproducing cell into a
collection of genetically identical cells.

First attempted over 50 years ago.

Cloning

Cloning is the production of one or more

organisms genetically identical to the
parent that donated the cell.

This is also called organismal cloning.

Other type of cloning is gene/cell cloning; the

division of an asexually reproducing cell into a
collection of genetically identical cells.

First attempted over 50 years ago.

History

1952
1953

Northern leopard frogs cloned.

Structure of DNA discovered.

1978 Louise, the first child

conceived through in vitro
fertilization, was born.
1993 Human embryos were first
cloned (artificial embryo twinning)
July 5, 1996 Dolly was born.

Method of Cloning

Cloning by fission
Blastocyst division
Blastomere Separation

Cloning by fusion

Cloning (cont)
Cloning can be divided into therapeutic and
reproductive.

Therapeutic cloning - cloning process to produce

embryonic stem cells, tissues or whole organs for
transplantation.

Reproductive cloning - use of cloning to grow a

living person who shares the DNA of the
progenitor. (e.g Dolly the sheep)

Dolly the first mammal

cloned using mature cell

Dolly the Lamb

in 1996
Method:
Nuclear
transfer
Organization:
Roslin Institute
at UK and PPL
Therapeutics

Example of cloning

Cumulina the
Mouse in 1998
Organization:
University of
Hawaii

Photo from Ming Pao 28th December 2002

Example of cloning

Cattle in
1998
Organization
: Kinki
University at
Japan
Photo from Ming Pao 28th December 2002

Example of cloning

Mille, Christa,
Alexis, Carrel
and Dotcom the
Pigs in 2000
Organization:
PPL
Therapeutics of
UK

Photo from Ming Pao 28th December 2002

Example of cloning

Carbon Copy
the Cat in
2002
Organization:
Texas A & M
University,
USA
Photo from Ming Pao 23th January 2003

Example of cloning

Generation of
Prometea, 2003
Organization: A
research
laboratory in
Italy

Photo from Nature No.6949

Example of cloning
Cloning of
donkey, 2004,
USA
Cloning of dog,
2005, Korea
Cloning of
rhesus monkey,
2007, Oregon,
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20050806/mind/mind3.html
USA
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/science/july-dec07/stemcells_11-15.html

Cloning of endangered
animal

Noah the Gaur

(an endangered
species) in 2000
Organization:
Advanced Cell
Technology, USA
Photo from Advanced Cell Technology (www.advancedcell.com)

Cloning of endangered
animal

Cloning of
woolly
Mammoth
Extinct 10,000
years ago
From Mingpao 8/8/2003

Cloning of endangered
animal

Cloning of a
cow
containing
mad cow
disease
resistant gene
In Shangdong,
China

From Mingpao 28/4/2006

Concerns in animal cloning

Technology complicated
Survival rate of cloned
embryos low
Overweighing of calves at
birth
Breeders may want to
keep their animal unique
Breeders may want to
create better offspring

Health of clones

Poor development of heart, lung

and immune system

Might have genetic disorder

Dolly gave birth to a

female lamb in 1998,
but Dolly later died of
premature aging in
2003.

Possible Benefit of
Cloning

Infertile Patients

It allows infertile patients to have their own

biological child (current infertility treatment
are only about 10% effective and very costly
both monetarily and mentally on the parents)

Allows parents to have offspring that are free

of genetic disease

Cosmetic Surgery

Plastic surgeries, breast augmentations,

reconstructive surgeries;

Doctors will be able to manufacture bones,

fat, connective tissue, or cartilage that
matches the patients tissues

This would prevent problems with silicone

leaking or immune disease associated with
plastic surgery.

New Possibilities for Organ

Transplants

Organs, such as livers and kidneys, could be

cloned;

These, clones would be more successful than

current transplants because they are created
from the patients body and would be free of
immune disease reactions;

Also, immuno-suppressed animals can

harvest organs for more options.

Is Cloning Ethical?
Yes or No?
What do you think?

Aspects of Ethics
Nonmaleficence (Doing No Harm)
Beneficence (Doing Good)
Autonomy
Justice
Formal

Does Cloning Maintain Non-Maleficence?

Risk factors involved

Mother/Surrogate, even Clone
High percentage of animal clones have not
implanted or gestated due to genetic
abnormalities
Reports of congenital malformation
To date 5% of cloned animals live births

Paul Billings, co-founder of GeneSage,

says that Cloning is not safe , Cloning is not
medically necessary, Cloning could not be
delivered in an equitable manner
Billings has also said that stem cell
therapies have been wildly oversold

Oldest clone to date lived for 5 years

Premature aging
Immuno-failures
Copying an aged cell (Dolly)
Dolly developed arthritis very early on
Cells being cloned may develop genetic
mutations very early on

Recessive traits could be phased out

Recessive traits critical to evolution
Allele extinction can occur
Lack of alleles mean less diversity

Does cloning maintain Beneficence

Improve the quality of life
Can avoid defects that occur naturally
Preserve and perpetuate good genes like
intelligence, physical attributes, and physical
skills

Allows infertile couples to have children

Also gives same sex couples ability to have
children
In both cases the offspring can have traits
from each parent

Ideal transplant donors for terminally ill

Guaranteed match for specific blood type
and DNA match
Would ensure organs wont be rejected
Could replace a loved one who died
prematurely

Autonomy of Cloning
Does the clone consent to exist
They could be used and abused
DNA could be used without consent, living
or dead to make a clone
They would be property in most cases
Expectations to live up to

Justice
Formal
Cloning is very expensive
Rich would benefit, cloning would only be available to
them
Superior, genetically altered race vs. normal, natural
race
Clone wont stand next to humans as equal, theyre
created, property
Billings says we need to work to better the situation of
the poor so that access to therapies is improved

Other ethical concerns

Safety
Cloning is currently an inefficient and unsafe
procedure.

Affront to human dignity

Offspring from cloning should stand equally beside
their progenitors.

Eugenics
Cloning, especially human cloning allows a form of
eugenics in which organism with desirable genetic
traits are cloned, other traits to decline. Hence, leading
to reduced diversity.

Genetically Modified
Organism (GMO)

GMO acquired by artificial means one or more

genes from another species or even from
another variety of the same species.

Agricultural and biological engineering are

evolving fields that integrate the principles of
biological sciences and genetic engineering
and use them to create, improve or modify
plants, seeds and microorganisms.

Genetic Engineering
Genetic Engineering involves
manipulating DNA molecules
DNA from one species is
spliced into the DNA of
another species
Called: Recombinant DNA

Genetically Engineered
organisms are called:
Genetically Modified
Transgenic

Milestones in Food
Biotechnology
1953: Structure of DNA discovered
1973: First gene cloned
in microbes
1977: Asilomar Conference in USA
Recombinant DNA safety
Regulation
Risk assessment
Containment

Milestones in Food Biotechnology

1990: Recombinant Chymosin
Approved by FDA
Enzyme for cheese making
Originally from calf stomach
Bovine gene expressed in GRAS
microbes
In 80% of U.S. cheese
Vegetarian cheese in England

Milestones in Food Biotechnology

Some salmon have

been modified by
addition of a more
active salmon growth
hormone gene.

Majority of the GM organisms that contribute

to our food supply are not animals, but crop
plants.

GM crops are widespread in the US, Argentina

and brazil.

Other Products from Genetically

Engineered Microbes
Food enzymes
Bread
HFCS Sweeteners

Amino acids
Peptides
Nutrasweet

Flavors
Organic acids
Polysaccharides
Vitamins

Milestones in Food Biotechnology

1994: FDA approves
Flavr Savr Tomato
Prolonged shelf life
Improved quality
Voluntarily labeled

Other Genetically
Engineered Plants
Agronomic traits
BT Corn
Roundup Ready Soy
Disease Resistance

Food quality
Nutrition
Metabolic products
Vaccines

Bt Corn
Natural insecticide from Bacillus
thuringiensis
Non-toxic to humans
Target insect: corn borer
Potential to:
reduce insecticide use
reduce mycotoxins

40% U.S. Corn crop Bt (2006)

Benefits

Agricultural productivity - resistant to pests,

disease and severe weather.

More food from less land;

Reduce the need for pesticide and other

chemicals;

Longer shelf life

Benefits(cont.)

Remove genes associated with allergies;

enhance nutritional value;

develop pharmaceuticals and vaccines in

plants;

Enabling faster vaccination of large

population.

Ethical Concerns of GMO

Safety of GM foods and the possible

environmental consequences of growing GM
plants.

Fear that transgenic plants might pass their

new genes to close relatives in nearby wild
areas.

Potential to create super weeds; herbicides

resistance.

GMO could compete or breed with wild

species.

Ethical Concerns of
GMO(cont.)

Transgene encoding a pesticide like protein

might cause plants to produce pollen toxic to
pollinators..

Protein product of transgene might lead to

allergic reaction.

Herbicide Resistance Concerns

Encourages herbicide use
Groundwater contamination
Kills beneficial soil microbes
Cross-pollinates weeds
Fosters dependence on
Agrochemcial companies

GMO products Labelling

Consumers are
demanding for GMO
products to be labelled.

Reference

Savulescu J. The ethics of cloning and creating

embryonic stem cells as a source of tissue for
transplantation: time to change the law in Australia.
Aust N Z J Med 2000; 30: 4928.

Reece, J. B., Urry, L. A., Cain, M. L., Wasserman, S.

A., Minorsky, P. V., Jackson, R., & Campbell, N. A.
(2014). Campbell biology.

Resnik, D. B. (1998). The Ethics of Science: An

Introduction.Chicago