KAUNO TECHNOLOGIJOS UNIVERSITETAS
INFORMATIKOS FAKULTETAS
RESEARCH WORK
Cloning the Human Race:
The Importance of Cloning Technology
Atliko: studentas: Algirdas Budvytis
Patikrino: dėstytoja Zita Murauskienė
CONTENTS
Introduction……………………………………………………………. 3
Human cloning is beneficial……………………………………….….. 3
What is clone? ……………………………………………….… 3
Curing diseases ………………………………………………… 3
Relieving infertility ………………………………………….… 4
Plastic, reconstructive, and cosmetic surgery………………….. 4
Ethical implications …………………………………………. 4
Discussing the problem ………………………………………………. 5
Conclusion ………………………………………….………………… 5
Bibliography ………………………………………………………….. 5
Vocabulary……………………………………… … … … … .……… 6
INTRODUCTION
The announcement of the birth of the cloned ewe, Dolly, in 1997 by scientists at the Roslin Institute, UK, was a shock for the entire world.
Cloning: The word sounds like science fiction. But cloning is now science fact for many species, and it could hold the answer for the majority of problems of aging humans. Recent advances in cloning have come with remarkable speed, but doubts about their applicability to aging have remained. However human cloning and its technology are necessary and should be continued because the cures to diseases may be found, the infertility problem may be solved.
Imagine a world full of “Mini-Hitlers”, genetic replicates of Adolf Hitler, seeking world domination. Picture them starting a second Holocaust on a worldwide scale, killing millions upon millions of people as a “final solution” to establish a superior race. This scenario is far-fetched, but this is the kind of thing people think about when they hear the word “cloning”.
HUMAN CLONING IS BENEFICIAL
Ø What is clone?
A clone is a group of genetically identical cells. For example, tumours are clones of cells inside an organism because they consist of many replicas of one mutated cell. Another type of clone occurs inside a cell. Such a clone is made up of groups of identical structures that contain genetic material, such as mitochondria and chloroplasts.
Curing diseases
High hopes in developing new cures and treatments for serious and unmet medical needs have been driven by the cloning technology.
Some diseases are inborn and cause permanent defects on an individual. This suffering may end soon if cloning is permitted. Doctors expect to eventually offer expectant mothers an option to diagnose and treat the future early enough to correct disorders such as Down’s Syndrome, miscarriages, and genetically induced sensory diseases like blindness or deafness.
Human cloning would solve the problem of finding a transplant donor whose organ or tissue is an acceptable match and would eliminate or drastically reduce, the risk of transplant rejection from the host. The host must first have his own clone, which would mean that clones would be genetically identical to the host. For transplanting organs from one another, the match would be near perfect.
Ø Relieving infertility
Infertility is caused by genetic defects, injuries to the reproductive organs, congenital defects and exposure to toxic substances and radiation. Many assisted-reproduction technologies have been developed. This includes surrogate mothers for women without a functional uterus, intracytoplasmic sperm injection for males who can’t produce viable sperm, and IVF (in vitro fertilization) for women with blocked or missing fallopian tubes. However, these treatments have proven to be highly inefficient and they can’t help people whose reproductive organs have not developed or have been removed. These people will pursue years of painful and expensive treatments to have little chance of success. Human cloning can offer infertile people a higher chance of success. Most people are infertile because they can’t produce viable gametes. Cloning technology wouldn’t require viable sperm or egg, any body cell would do. This technology would be able to bypass defective gametes and allow infertile people to have their own biological children. Cloning technology may even prevent clinical depression, divorce, and suicide among infertile people. This is because infertility often leads to them.
Ø Plastic, reconstructive, and cosmetic surgery
Because of human cloning and its technology the days of silicone breast implants and other cosmetic procedures that may cause immune disease should soon be over. With the new technology, instead of using materials foreign to the body for such procedures, doctors will be able to manufacture bone, fat, connective tissue, or cartilage that matches the patients tissues exactly. Anyone will able to have their appearance altered to
their satisfaction without the leaking of silicone gel into their bodies or the other problems that occur with present day plastic surgery. Victims of terrible accidents that deform the face should now be able to have their features repaired with new, safer technology. Limbs for amputees may be able to be regenerated.