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What is cloning and stem cell therapy?
Therapeutic cloning could produce stem cells with the same genetic make-up as the patient. The technique involves the transfer of the nucleus from a cell of the patient, to an egg cell whose nucleus has been removed. Stem cells produced in this way could be transferred to the patient.
What kind of stem cells are used in cloning?
There are three different types depending on the time they are obtained:
- Embryonic stem cells.
- Adult or somatic stem cells.
- Induced pluripotent stem cells, also known as iPS cells.
Is therapeutic cloning the same as stem cell research?
This form of cloning is unrelated to stem cell research. In most countries, it is illegal to attempt reproductive cloning in humans. In therapeutic cloning, the blastocyst is not transferred to a womb. Instead, embryonic stem cells are isolated from the cloned blastocyst.
Can any cell be used for cloning?
By transferring adult cell DNA into an embryonic stem cell, it is possible to create a line of immortal embryonic cells that are able to develop into any type of adult cell, genetically identical to the donor.
What is the difference between therapeutic cloning and stem cell research?
This form of cloning is unrelated to stem cell research. In most countries, it is illegal to attempt reproductive cloning in humans. In therapeutic cloning, the blastocyst is not transferred to a womb. Instead, embryonic stem cells are isolated from the cloned blastocyst.
Can stem cells be cloned?
The common form of cloning that is discussed involves “nuclear transfer”; only the nucleus of the cell to be cloned is used, and it is transferred to an egg cell that has been deprived of its own nucleus. That same nuclear transfer procedure has been used in some procedures for making stem cells — specifically for making embryonic stem cells.
Why is it difficult to clone a cell that is already differentiated?
Cloning (in this context) involves growing a new organism from a single cell of an old organism. In part, this requires that the cell used for cloning be able to revert to the “primitive” state typical of an egg cell — able to replicate and differentiate. This is particularly a challenge if the cell used for cloning is already differentiated.
What is the difference between gene cloning and reproductive cloning?
Gene cloning produces copies of genes or segments of DNA. Reproductive cloning produces copies of whole animals. Therapeutic cloning produces embryonic stem cells for experiments aimed at creating tissues to replace injured or diseased tissues.