Bio-ethics and Cloning :: Biology Science Genetics Essays

Bio-ethics and CloningThe idea that gentlemans gentlemans great power someday be cloned-created from a single somatic cell without versed reproduction-moved further away from science fiction and closer to a tangible scientific possibility on February 23, 1997. On that date, The Observer broke the discussion that Ian Wilmut and his colleagues at the Roslin Institute announced the thriving cloning of a sheep by a new technique that had never before been fully successful in mammals. The scientists from Roslin Institute of Edinburgh isolated differentiated somatic cells of Finn Dorset sheep and fused them with sterile enucleated eggs. The fertilized eggs soon developed into embryos which were in turn transplanted into female sheep, where the lambs ar born natur every(prenominal)y.1 The resulting birth of the sheep, named Dolly, on July 5, 1996 appears to mark yet another milepost in our ability to control, refine, and amplify the forces of nature. Yet, the fact that Dollys paper just scrapes into the pate 10 scientific papers published in 19972, showed that cloning was not a much credited technology in science. So why was there so much limelight on Dolly? If it were contingent to clone a mammal, would the cloning of humans be next?Dollys arrival undefendable debate in fields where ethicist dreaded to go. Some scientists - including Ian Wilmut - dont abet human cloning. Those in favor see it as another rule in the growing pantheon of human reproductive technologies3. One unique prospect, vividly raised by Dolly, is the creation of a new individual heritableally identical to an existing (or previously existing) person - a delayed genetic twin. This prospect has been the source of the overwhelming public concern about much(prenominal) cloning. People have frequently expressed fears that the widespread practice of somatic cell nuclear transfer cloning would undermine social value by opening the door to a form of eugenics or by tempting to manipulate oth ers as if they were objects instead of persons4.Ethicists and governments have thus farthermost reach a consensus on a ban on all types of cloning of human beings. However, with leading Italian embryologist Severino Antinori researching intensely on human cloning5, and Richard Seeds expansion into Japan with future plans of human cloning6, should we wonder about the undeniable cloning of human beings?At present, companies are set up to wrap up this new cloning technology. While Genetic Savings and Clone in Texas intends to clone pets and opens its doors for