Cloning/Cloning Techniques

Question 1

Define the word “Clone”

Answer 1

• An organism/offspring, genetically and physically identical to the parent, produced asexually.

Question 2

Define Cloning Technologies

Answer 2

• Artificially induced human interventions to produce clones.

Question 3

Outline an issue with cloning

Answer 3

• Susceptibility to diseases (Less genetic variation).
• High failure rates.
• Social, legal and ethical implications.
• Concern of the welfare to animals.

Question 4

Define SCNT (Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer)

Answer 4

Nucleus of a somatic cell is transferred to the cytoplasm of an enucleated egg (an egg that has had its own nucleus removed).

Question 5

What happens to the somatic nucleus after the transfer of the nucleus?

Answer 5

The somatic nucleus is reprogrammed by cytoplasmic factors in the egg. Returning it to an undifferentiated embryonic stage. The egg can then be put into the uterus of a surrogate mother, to produce a cloned animal.

Question 6

Define Embryo Splitting

Answer 6

• Splitting the multicellular embryo at early stages of development to generate twins.

Question 7

Outline an issue with Embryo Splitting

Answer 7

• Lack of genetic diversity.
• Alteration of embryos, Some believe this is not acceptable.
• Research animals, could lead to commercialization and objectification of animals.

Question 8

Outline the process of Embryo Splitting

Answer 8

Cells are separated from an early embryo (Cluster of identical cells), each cell develops into an identical embryo, then each embryo is implanted into a different surrogate mother, identical cloned offspring are born.

Question 9

Define Tissue culture

Answer 9

• Tissue culture is a method, inwhich fragments of plants and animal tissues are cultured and grown in a laboratory.
• Involves growing and maintaining cells, tissues or organs in a controlled environment outside their natural environment.

Question 10

Outline what “cutting” a section of a plant is

Answer 10

• A section of a plant (Root, stem or leaf) is removed from a plant and planted in soil or water.
• Under right conditions the cutting will develop new roots, stems and leaves as cells replicate and differentiate into new structures.

Question 11

Outline the process or the terms of “grafting”

Answer 11

• Transferring part (Scion) of the stem of a plant onto the cut stem of another (Rootstock), with a well developed root system.