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Risks of Cloning

Reproductive cloning – the form of cloning most people are familiar with – is still a highly erratic and unstable branch of research. For all the funding and effort that go into it, the current rate of successful return is quite discouraging. Figures to date show that for every 1000 somatic cell transfers that are attempted, anywhere from 970 to 999 are not able to produce viable organisms. There are many factors that affect this number. The incompatibility of the implanted nucleus and the host egg is one risk, as is the ability of the mother to be implanted and to carry the offspring for the duration. Also, scientists may be able to fuse cells from two separate sources, but they cannot control whether the newly created cells will develop normally.

And even if the rare few are actually able to survive the hazards of creation and development, once born cloned animals still have to overcome many obstacles. A number of clones are fraught with immune system problems, causing infections and tumors. Cloned animals tend to be born with abnormally large organs, lending themselves to breathing or blood circulation problems, as well as other organ disorders. Cloned animals also have a greater percentage of abnormal genes, possibly the result of improper DNA imprinting or from unusual telomere length.

Web Resources On Risks of Cloning

Cloning Risks
Human Genome Project: Risks of Cloning

Book Resources On Risks of Cloning

Gene Cloning and DNA Analysis: An Introduction by T. A. Brown
Understanding DNA and Gene Cloning: A Guide for the Curious by Karl Drlica

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