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How
Regeneration (Cloning) Works
Cloning is an asexual form of reproduction. All the child's genes
would come from a body cell of a single individual:

- The
nucleus of the maternal or donor egg is removed (anucleation)
- The
nucleus of a body cell (skin, hair, muscle,etc.) is inserted
into the anucleated egg.
- The
egg with the new nucleus is then stimulated to undergo further
divisions (cell division) using chemicals, electricity
or other stimuli.
- Once
cell division occurs, the embryo is then cultured and transferred
into the uterus of the mother or recipient.
- For
deceased individuals, additional steps may be necessary depending
on the condition of the cells used.
Human
cloning – what is it ?
The
word "cloning" etymologically comes from the Greek "klonos"
which means branching or budding and it insinuates some sort of
"asexual reproduction". There are two types of human cloning
that need to be differentiated: therapeutic cloning and reproductive
cloning.
Therapeutic cloning enables the creation of embryonic stem cells.
Stem cells are multifunctional cells which can be further specialized
into brain cells, liver cells etc. These stem cells are genetically
identical to the ones of the original cell donor and can therefore
be used to create specialized cells artificially in order to fight
diseases and eventually even create genetically compatible organs.
Reproductive human cloning gives life to a new human being. Until
recently only sexual reproduction or artificial reproduction techniques
e.g. IVF existed. Reproductive cloning represents a new reproduction
technique by which life can be given to an identical twin of the
original cell donor.

How is cloning employed and who is it for
?
Therapeutic cloning can be used to fight diseases and assist in
repairing damaged or deficient organs. Once specialized cells can
be derived from cloned embryos the following diseases threatening
millions of people on earth may be treated:
-
Brain disorders like Parkinson and Alzheimer that can be corrected
from the newly derived neurons or brain cells.
- Diabetes
from the newly derived insulin-producing pancreatic islet cells.
- Spinal
cord injuries or damages that can be corrected from the newly
derived nerve cells.
- Autoimmune
disorders such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis
from the newly derived cells of blood and bone marrow.
- Cancer
from the newly derived healthy cells that can replace cancerous
cells.
In addition, it will help to save the lives of the thousands of
people worldwide waiting for an organ transplantation by helping
to create artificial organs. Not only is it difficult today to obtain
an organ but even if organs are available many are being rejected
by the body because of incompatibility; let alone the brutal way
some organs are being obtained i.e. by buying them from people in
third world countries or even extracting them without the donor's
consent !
Therapeutic
cloning will eventually provide genetically 100% compatible organs
such as livers, kidneys etc. and therefore save the lives of those
who would perish without it.
Reproductive human cloning can assist:
- Infertile
couples: we have received many requests from infertile couples
who cannot have children even after years of infertility treatments.
For those people cloning is the only way to have a child of their
own genetic offspring.
-
Homosexuals: they cannot have a child today that is 100% related
to them genetically but human cloning will provide this possibility
for them.
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