CloningCloning is a very broad term that refers to many different procedures bearing little resemblance to each other. Although the lay definition of cloning is simply the duplication of an organism, the term can be broken down into specific categories: DNA cloning, reproductive cloning and therapeutic cloning.
DNA cloning is also known as recombinant DNA technology, molecular technology or gene cloning. It is commonly performed by molecular biologists who are looking to replicate molecules they are researching. It involves taking a piece of genetic material from a molecule and transferring it into a host cell. This procedure can be done as many times as necessary to obtain an adequate supply or study.
Reproductive cloning is what most people are familiar with. It involves the replication of an organism by producing a genetically identical duplicate. The most famous clone is Dolly, the sheep produced in 1997.
Therapeutic cloning involves replacing the nucleus of an egg with DNA from another source, for the purpose of creating a “designer” embryo whose stem cells can be harvested for the treatment of disease.
Apart from being induced by man, cloning can also happen naturally. Such is the case with Little Fire Ants of South and Central America who reproduce by cloning themselves. And in humans, identical twins are the result of unintentional cloning.
Web Resources On Cloning
Wikipedia: Cloning
What is Cloning?
Book Resources On CloningGene Cloning and DNA Analysis: An Introduction by T. A. Brown
Understanding DNA and Gene Cloning: A Guide for the Curious by Karl Drlica
|
|
|
