Cloning

             It is probably only a matter of time before a human being is cloned. Already animals have been cloned and the race for the first cloned human is well under way, be it legal or not. What will happen when this first human is cloned? Many questions surrounding this topic are asked now and the answers are not far off as the human clone lies on the horizon. Twenty years ago, the only talk of human cloning was in science fiction movies, but with the 1994 cloning of a sheep named Dolly has people waiting, rather than wondering, for the first cloned human. What will happen when news of the first cloned human reaches the public?
             The process used to clone Dolly, a sheep cloned in 1994, is a technology called somatic cell nuclear transfer. Most likely, this same process will be used when the first human is cloned. This process consists of the researchers removing the nucleus, which holds the DNA, of one cell and injecting it into an egg cell in which the nucleus has been removed. The embryo which contains the donor's DNA, or genetic blueprint, is implanted into the womb of a female and carried to term.
             The opportunities that would come with a human clone are endless. Diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's may be able to be reversed, faulty organs could be replaced by a perfect match, and spinal cord injuries may be able to be repaired. While the benefits of cloning are evident, at this time, a federal ban is held on all human cloning. Though many benefits are available, it is important to realize that while Dolly was successfully cloned, 28 other embryos were aborted while in the embryonic stage. The long term effects that a clone can encounter have not been determined, and more animal testing is needed before human trials begin.
             When human cloning is established, who would be a worthy candidate for the procedure? It is foolish to think that a Hitler like regime would be possible with the somatic cell cl...

More Essays:

APA     MLA     Chicago
Cloning. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 12:06, March 28, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/33159.html