Biology
Title: Cloning
Information: Q: I will be participating in a class debate on "cloning" and need information on the topic. What was the first cloned animal? What is cloning? How successful is it? What are the pros and cons of cloning? A: It is reported that a tadpole was the first animal cloned in 1952. In 1997, "Dolly," a sheep, was the first mammal successfully cloned. Cloning is an asexual, reproductive technology that exactly copies genetic information in order to produce offspring. Cloning from plants has been done for years, but it is a relatively new way to reproduce animals. To date, cloning has been successful in reproducing many species of mammals, including sheep, goats, cows, mice, pigs, cats, rabbits, and a "baby bull gaur," which is a wild ox. According to the current statement from the President's Council on Bioethics: "Rates of success have been quite low: approximately 5 percent of attempts have resulted in live births." Cloning has been a hotly debated topic. For more information about cloning and opinions for and against it, consult the resources listed below. These resources were found using the Google search engine athttp://www.google.com and the phrase "What is cloning?" Remember to critically evaluate the source of any information you find. Although not always true, sites that belong to the domains ".gov", ".edu" and/or ".org" are more likely to be authoritative and reliable sources of information than commercial sites (".com".) However, you may still read expressions of strong viewpoints. Genetic Science Learning Center, Eccles Institute of Human Genetics at the University of Utah Provides concise explanations of two cloning process: Artificial embryo twinning and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), the cloning process by which Dolly was made. http://gslc.genetics.utah.edu/units/cloning/whatiscloning/ Human Genome Project Information This fact sheet from the Genome Programs of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science answers several questions about cloning and provides many links to related articles on the topic. http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/cloning.shtml How Stuff Works - "How Cloning Works" Article by Craig C. Freudenrich, Ph.D. discusses how clones are produced and why this new technology might be useful. http://www.howstuffworks.com/cloning.htm Biotechnology Industry Organization: Cloning A page of links to articles related to ethical and legislative issues on the topic of cloning. http://www.bio.org/bioethics/cloning.asp The President's Council on Bioethics This official report from the U.S. President's Council provides information on cloning technology, its history and arguments for and against it. http://www.bioethics.gov/topics/cloning_faq.html PBS NOVA Online - On Human Cloning: Three Views Interviews with three scientists who have different perspectives on the issue of cloning. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/baby/cloning.html Thank you for your question on a fascinating and controversial topic. For more help or resources, you can also check with the librarian at your school or public library. Good luck with your research and your debate! The AskNSDL staff
Category: Biology