Clone humans # Clonación humana

Can we and should we clone humans?
Cloning humans has recently become a possibility that seems much more feasible in today's society than it
was twenty years ago. It is a method that involves the production of a group of identical cells or organisms
that all derive from a single individual (Grolier 220). It is not known when or how cloning humans really
became a possibility, but it is known that there are two possible ways that we can clone humans. The first way
involves splitting an embryo into several halves and creating many new individuals from that embryo. The
second method of cloning a human involves taking cells from an already existing human being and cloning
them, in turn creating other individuals that are identical to that particular person. With these two methods
almost at our fingertips, we must ask ourselves two very important questions: Can we do this, and should we?
There is no doubt that many problems involving the technological and ethical sides of this issue will arise and
will be virtually impossible to avoid, but the overall idea of cloning humans is one that we should accept as a
possible reality for the future.
Cloning humans is an idea that has always been thought of as something that could be found in science fiction
novels, but never as a concept that society could actually experience. "It is much in the news. The public has
been bombarded with newspaper articles, magazine stories, books, television shows, and movies as well as
cartoons", writes Robert McKinnell, the author of Cloning: A Biologist Reports (24). Much of this
information in these sources leads the public in the wrong direction and makes them wonder how easy it
would be for everyone around them to be cloned. Bizarre ideas about cloning lie in many science fiction
books and scare the public with their unbelievable possibilities. David Rorvik wrote a highly controversial
book entitled In His Image. In it he describes the story of a wealthy man who decides to clone himself. He is
successful in doing this and causes quite an upraise in his community. This book was written in the late
seventies and even then, societies reaction to the issues of human cloning was generally a negative one. We
face a problem today even greater than the one in this book and it involves the duplication of human beings in
a society that has always been known for its diversity.
The main issue as to whether or not human cloning is possible through the splitting of embryos began in 1993
when experimentation was done at George Washington University Medical Centre in Washington D.C. There
Dr. Jerry Hall experimented with the possibility of human cloning and began this moral and ethical debate.
There it was concluded that cloning is not something that can be done as of now, but it is quite a possibility
for the future. These scientists experimented eagerly in aims of learning how to clone human. Shannon
Brownlee of U.S. News & World Report writes, "Hall and other scientists split single humans embryos into
identical copies, a technology that opens a
Pandora's box of ethical questions and has sparked a storm of controversy around the world" (24). They
attempted to create seventeen human embryos in a laboratory dish and when it had grown enough, separated
them into forty−eight individual cells. Two of the separated cells survived for a few days in the lab developed
into new human embryos smaller than the head of a pin and consisting of thirty−two cells each (Brownlee 24).
Although we cannot clone a human yet, this experiment occurred almost two years ago and triggered almost
an ethical emergency. Evidence from these experiments got strange reactions from the public. Shannon
Brownlee claims, "The Vatican condemned the technology of this experiment as being perverse; one German
magazine called the research `unscrupulous'" (24). This experiment opened the possibilities of cloning to
society and, even though it was unsuccessful, led people to ask themselves what they would do if cloning
were to happen. Common answers to the puzzling questions about humans and cloning are still trying to be
answered today, and scientists and the public are eager to learn all they can about cloning. Many sources state
that cloning is just simply an extension of in vitro fertilisation, but the root of cloning goes further than that.
Cloning embryos is different from the genetic process of in vitro fertilisation, but still holds many similarities
with it. For example, the process of in vitro fertilisation is pretty straightforward. It involves taking an egg
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from the woman and taking sperm from the man. The embryo is thus formed and implanted into the woman's
uterus. The embryo develops normally and is born with unpredictable characteristics of both the man and the
woman. The offspring ends up as unique individual and excluding the special case of twins, has no other
human being exactly like it. It uses one embryo that is from the beginning a distinct individual and creates
only one human that is basically completely original. Cloning also goes through this same process, but it is
unlike in vitro fertilisation in that it takes the same type embryo and destroys its originality through
duplication. Research on in vitro fertilisation helps to improve its technique and also aids in scientists their
search for better ways clone humans.
Since scientists have already done a great deal with in vitro fertilisation, questions involving the "should we"
aspect of this issue often arise. What extra little measure has to be taken to make a clone for a couple
undergoing in vitro fertilisation, and what would happen to our value of humans with this new reality?
Barbara Ehrenreich makes a statement that seems to be quite sarcastic in its context, but it accurately
describes the way that society's attitude if cloning were to happen, she states, "Why not make a few backup
copies of the embryo and keep a few in the freezer in case Junior needs a new kidney or cornea" (86). Another
large aspect to consider is how much money the area of genetics uses every year. When cloning comes about,
society profits will increase, and people will be willing to pay anything for a clone of themselves. It is such a
costly form of technology. Society will do all kinds of things for money. A type of black market for embryos
could
easily someday develop. Parents already spend a great deal of money on in vitro fertilisation, and who knows
how much they would be willing to pay for cloning their children? The question as to what cloning would do
to society from both the moral and economic standpoints comes to the conclusion that for the most part
cloning is too expensive and too dangerous. On the positive side of this issue, however, embryonic cloning
could be a valuable tool for the studying of human development, genetically modifying embryos, and
investigating new transplant technologies (Hamilton 42). Using cloning to produce offspring for the sake of
their organs is an issue that we must also face and question whether or not it is morally right. No one will say
that it is okay to kill a human being for the sake of their organs, but many have no objection to cloning
thousands of individuals that look alike. Technology seems to take away many of the morals that we
have worked so hard to install in society. Most people only seem to want to cater to their own needs and do
not bother to consider the consequences that society and the clone may have to face. The issue of in vitro
fertilisation among embryos only leads the public to fear what may happen once cloning takes over, if it does.
With the issue of parents' involvement in cloning, Barbara Ehrenreich of Time, writes, "Any normal species
would be delighted at the prospect of cloning. No more nasty surprises like sickle cell or Down
syndrome−just batch after batch of high−grade and, genetically speaking, immortal offspring!" She also
believes that "any culture that encourages in vitro fertilisation has no right to complain about the market of
embryos". A society that accepts a woman having an embryo implanted in her womb should be able to deal
with it if those embryos are genetically identical. Many people believe that genetic material is more valuable
than life itself. The issue of what parents and the clones should do and feel comes up frequently when we ask
our questions about the ethics of cloning. With the possibility of cloning their children, parents for example,
can build a family of clones by storing siblings identical to their child in a freezer and thaw them out later
when they decide to have another child. Although these children would be of different ages, they would look
identical to one another. Shannon Brownlee claims, "A bizarre possibility to consider is that a woman
conceived from a split embryo could give birth to her own twin" (24). This possibility only begins the crazy
affects that cloning can have on society. What would one think if they were walking down the street and they
saw a mother and her children walking side by side and they were identical looking just of different ages.
Many ethicists maintain that parents have the right to do what they want to with their embryos, but others
think that they should not take away any child's chance at individuality. Just think, how would you explain the
concept of cloning to your
children, and what would their views about society be? One of the many questions brought up was regarding
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whether or not cloning should be an option for parents that are considering having children. Many problems
often occur with couples involving the issue of infertility. "Some people believe that cloning should aim its
main focus to helping infertile couples−and they will likely conclude that there is nothing wrong with it. The
scarcely hidden assumption that anything that helps overcome infertility is morally appropriate." (McCormick
148). With in vitro fertilisation so popular in today's society among infertile couples, who is to say that in the
future, cloning won't take over? Cloning is noted to be better for treating infertility in the sense that it can
eliminate health problems with the child from the beginning. This proves to be beneficial in the way that a
couple is more than likely guaranteed a healthy child. Cloning does not, however, always prove to be
beneficial. For example, in the case where a certain disease is on the rise and one of say three clones get it.
The immune system of the other two clones is identical which proves
that they have no guard against diseases. Cloning from an already existing adult is a second method that we
must consider when discussing the cloning of humans. This type of cloning would no doubt be a very
controversial issue any way that it is looked at, but it is necessary to understand the two ways that it could be
done if we were to clone humans. Unlike the process of cloning embryos, cloning from already existing
humans allows one to know exactly what their clone will look like ahead of time. Before the clone is actually
produced, the parents or the individual's clone will know exactly what to expect in their offspring as far as
looks go. Personality and other factors cannot be certain, but it is stated that if the clone is observed carefully
and compared with its other clones, many similarities will automatically arise. Cloning among adults is less
obtainable than embryonic cloning, but it seems to cause just as much controversy. Since embryonic cloning
has not been successful yet, no real experiments like the one performed at George Washington University
have been done yet. We do know, however, know that cloning from an already existing human may
effectively work in the near future. In a movie called, Boys from Brazil, two clones of Hitler are supposedly
produced from a cell obtained containing Hitler's genes. This cell was in turn joined with an egg, and an
embryo was formed containing solely the genes of Hitler with only the necessary ones from the woman. This
science fiction−like experiment was done for many reasons, but it was mostly intended to test the clones'
behaviour away from one another and to see if any certain kind of attitude can be passed on from one clone to
another. The boys in this movie seem to demonstrate this concept through their slight displays of Hitler's
personality traits even after being raised apart with totally different lifestyles. Although, this idea of cloning
seems feasible, it is not very logical in today's level of technology. A cell from a nonreproductive part of one's
body cannot be taken and used in place of a reproductive cell like sperm. This movie is not very accurate in its
portrayal of the cloning process, but it does however, fully express the emotions felt by the clones and the
others around them. The horizon for making a clone in the embryonic form is a very relative possibility within
the next five to ten years. Who knows though, pretty soon we may be able to go out a choose the person that
we want our child to look identical to and create a clone for them. Although in this movie there were only two
clones created, the boys were supposed to have Hitler's genes and seemed to carry his violent instincts. This
statement proves to be true in the movie but also lacks reality of everyday society in the way that not even a
clone can be identical to its other clones because environment plays a very large role. Studies of how the
cloned individuals would relate to one another are found with the experiment of twins separated at birth and
raised in two very different environments. Because nature makes its own clones through the process of twins,
it is easy to research about how a clone might feel and how they would react to having another clone around
them. Environment plays a big part in determining how a clone may turn out. In The Boys from Brazil, both
boys develop their own personalities but still seem to have many similarities with one another. A bioethics
researcher comments in Shannon Brownlee's
article about cloning and the influence that the environment has on it states, "you could clone one−hundred
Hitler embryos and not get a single Hitler because he was shaped by his environment. But you can clone
one−hundred Aryans because these things are not contingent on a particular environment" (Brownlee 25).
This shows that even though these two boys were raised in very different ways, they still shared many similar
traits. A similar kind of case study was done involving twins. "For centuries, scientists have been trying to
figure out which factors play the most important role in the development of the human personality. Is it
nature, nurture, heredity, or environment" (German 65). "How will it feel to be one clone among hundreds?
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The anticloners ask. Probably no worse than it feels to be the millionth 13−year−old dressed in identical
baggy trousers, untied sneakers and baseball cap −− a feeling usually described as `cool'.", states Barbara
Ehrenreich for Time magazine (20). Imagine walking down the streets and seeing hundreds of people that are
identical to you but, just go by different names and dress differently. Cloning can be used to help a
certain individuals live, but what will be the cloned individuals view on life? Once cloning is done, the clone
and its original should have the same rights as any other potential people (Economist 20). Many parents have
great concern in regards to having a child that has been cloned. However, there are many excited parents
looking forward to this breakthrough in technology. By looking at the many different reasons for cloning a
child, one can better understand why it may seem appealing to parents. Cloning from an already existing
human will provide the opportunity for parents to pick their "ideal" child. They will be able to pick out every
aspect of their child and make sure that it is perfect before they decide to have it. For example, they can
choose their hair and eye colour and build almost exactly by looking at the individual they were cloned from
(Voelker 331). Whether or not cloning happens with embryos or adults, various groups in society may react
very differently to it. For example, there are many religious groups that feel cloning should not be considered
for any reasons whatsoever. Richard McCormick for Christian Century , believes that "human cloning is an
extremely social matter, not a question of mere personal privacy. I see three
dimensions to the moral question: the wholeness of life, the individuality of life, and the respect for life"
(148). In his article based on religion and cloning, he explains that all creatures come from God with their
own certain uniqueness about them. He points out the fact that the pre−embryo is human and is living even in
it's first stages of development. This somehow parallels to the issue of abortion and whether or not it is
morally right. Religion is the root of many peoples' values and their beliefs about things like cloning and
abortion lie behind these. Richard McCormick basically summarises the statement that society is already
pretty messed up and with the idea of cloning in perspective, we need to beware as the future approaches. No
matter what we say or do, research for cloning will steadily continue and even more moral and ethical issues
will arise. Who knows which of the two kinds of cloning will become the most popular in the future, but right
now the main stand we need to take is whether or not it can be done and should be done. Who knows if human
cloning done in research labs presently will go beyond the laboratory and affect individuals lives. What we do
know however, is that cloning seems to very appealing in some aspects and very frightening in others.
Barbara Ehrenreich makes a quite humorous pun commenting on coming possibility of cloning humans. She
states, "When the technology arrives for cloning adult individuals , genetic immortality should be within reach
of the
average multimillionaire. Ross Perot will be followed by a flock of little re−Rosses" (86).
Materials
Human Tissue: Pure human cells of one tissue type, from the individual who will be cloned.
Human Tissue Culture Media: Media in which these human cells will grow and divide.
Minimal Human Tissue Culture Media: Media in which cells will stop dividing, and enter a state of
"quiescence" without dying.
Laboratory supplies: Incubator, Sterile Hood, petri dishes, microscopes, and tools capable of removing and
implanting cellular organelles, such as the nucleus, from one cell to another.
Unfertilised human egg cells.
Human Egg Cell growth media: Media where fertilised eggs will grow and divide.
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Procedures
1.Grow the human cells to be cloned until you have a good supply.
2.Transfer the cells to minimal media. [For now, The Sheep Cloning Paper is a good reference for exactly
how long.] This should allow the cells to live, but they should stop dividing and enter quiescence. This is
likely the step in which the cells lose their differentiation, and revert to a more totipotent state.
3.When the cultured cells are in the quiescent state, get an unfertilised human egg cell. Remove the nucleus
from this egg cell. Try to minimise damage done to this cell and discard the nucleus.
4.Take one of the quiescent cells in it's entirely, and implant it inside the coat around the egg (known as the
zona pellucida) next to the egg itself.
5.Electroshock the egg. [For now, The Sheep Cloning Paper is probably a good reference for how much and
how long to electroshock.] The electroshock induces the fusion of the two cells, so you should be able to tell
when you've electroshocked enough just by looking at the cells. The rebooting of the human genetic program
is believed to be initiated by the replacement of donor cell protein signals by egg cell protein signals, but the
electroshock might assist in moving those protein signals across the nuclear membrane as well.
Electroporation is a common technique for moving DNA molecules through a cellular membrane.
6.Repeat the last three steps as necessary until you have enough clones. Expect a lot of them not to survive
because of cellular damage and other mishaps. Allow the embryos to grow and divide a few times in Human
Egg Cell growth media.
7.Implant the embryos in human mothers where they will can be carried to term, and born
normally.
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