Human
cloning is a very
controversial issue, with the battle of science vs. religion. Human cloning involves
the asexual replication of an individual human being at any stage of
development. The entire concept of human cloning is
surrounded by a lot of misconception, fear, religious ethical barriers. The
idea of human cloning has been around for quite a while now and has been a
source of constant debates and even fiction. I choose to believe that despite
the fact that we are currently faced with many barriers in this area, yet in
the future there will be a greater realization of the vast benefits emerging
from this technique.
Both human therapeutic cloning and reproductive cloning can produce many benefits. Therapeutic cloning involves creation of genetically identical cells. This can have an impact in the field of medicine by impacting transplantation and regenerative science. As the cells would be identical, immunosuppressants would not be required. For example healthy heart cells/tissue can be used to replace damaged areas of the heart. Organ transplants including kidneys, liver, and heart can be effectively carried out without the risk of rejection following therapeutic cloning. Even effects of disorders like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's can be reversed following cloning. In a way, all the problems associated with aging can somewhat be cured once human cloning potential is realized and we would be able to reverse the aging process. With knowledge obtained from human cloning, victims of terrible accidents that leave them disfigured for life can be provided with grafts that are genetically identical to their cells and safer reconstructive surgery can be performed. Even damaged nerve tissues following spinal injuries can be treated.
Infertility problems faced by so many couples are accompanied with a great deal of emotional pain. With human cloning the embryo can be cloned using DNA from the couple and then allowed to develop in vivo and this would allow many infertile couple to have children. Many babies are born with genetic defects that although can be detected during fetal development, they cannot be reversed or cured. The knowledge from cloning may be used to replace defective genes with normal genes or balancing the number of chromosomes in cases of anneuploidies.
The knowledge from human cloning can provide us greater information about our genetics and provide some answers about how cells can differentiate into particular cell lines. If a child is critically ill and there is no donor match available, then a clone of the child (a younger twin in a way) can provide a source of stem cells that can possibly cure the child and the life of the child can be saved. Thus cloning may provide us with embryos from which cells can be used for regenerating various organs and tissues. Also, by regulating cell growth cancer can be cured easily, for example by cloning the bone marrow cells to cure leukemia.
Ultimately if a situation is encountered by mankind where we face extinction, then just as cloning has been proposed to resurrect endangered species, human cloning can ensure continuation of human species. Scientists are now suggesting that successes in therapeutic cloning may eventually lead greater understanding of epigenetic effects and to reproductive cloning . Cloning for biomedical purposes can lead to significant advances in medicine, allowing novel therapies and treatments to be devised for genetic diseases to which many people succumb.
Both human therapeutic cloning and reproductive cloning can produce many benefits. Therapeutic cloning involves creation of genetically identical cells. This can have an impact in the field of medicine by impacting transplantation and regenerative science. As the cells would be identical, immunosuppressants would not be required. For example healthy heart cells/tissue can be used to replace damaged areas of the heart. Organ transplants including kidneys, liver, and heart can be effectively carried out without the risk of rejection following therapeutic cloning. Even effects of disorders like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's can be reversed following cloning. In a way, all the problems associated with aging can somewhat be cured once human cloning potential is realized and we would be able to reverse the aging process. With knowledge obtained from human cloning, victims of terrible accidents that leave them disfigured for life can be provided with grafts that are genetically identical to their cells and safer reconstructive surgery can be performed. Even damaged nerve tissues following spinal injuries can be treated.
Infertility problems faced by so many couples are accompanied with a great deal of emotional pain. With human cloning the embryo can be cloned using DNA from the couple and then allowed to develop in vivo and this would allow many infertile couple to have children. Many babies are born with genetic defects that although can be detected during fetal development, they cannot be reversed or cured. The knowledge from cloning may be used to replace defective genes with normal genes or balancing the number of chromosomes in cases of anneuploidies.
The knowledge from human cloning can provide us greater information about our genetics and provide some answers about how cells can differentiate into particular cell lines. If a child is critically ill and there is no donor match available, then a clone of the child (a younger twin in a way) can provide a source of stem cells that can possibly cure the child and the life of the child can be saved. Thus cloning may provide us with embryos from which cells can be used for regenerating various organs and tissues. Also, by regulating cell growth cancer can be cured easily, for example by cloning the bone marrow cells to cure leukemia.
Ultimately if a situation is encountered by mankind where we face extinction, then just as cloning has been proposed to resurrect endangered species, human cloning can ensure continuation of human species. Scientists are now suggesting that successes in therapeutic cloning may eventually lead greater understanding of epigenetic effects and to reproductive cloning . Cloning for biomedical purposes can lead to significant advances in medicine, allowing novel therapies and treatments to be devised for genetic diseases to which many people succumb.
By,
Chew Kim Kee
SMK Methodist
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