U2D3 Cloning: An Application of Asexual Reproduction

These flashcards cover fundamental concepts regarding cloning, including its applications, techniques, risks, and ethical considerations related to asexual reproduction.

What is the primary purpose of cloning in biotechnology?

To create biological copies of organisms or genes for beneficial uses.

What process is used in asexual reproduction to create clones?

Mitosis.

What are natural examples of clones?

Single cell bacteria and identical twins.

What are genetically engineered clones?

Clones created through genetic engineering, such as plants that produce insulin.

Give an example of a whole organism clone that benefits humanity.

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

What is biotechnology?

The use of genetically engineering organisms for profit and beneficial purposes.

List the three modes of cloning.

Gene cloning, tissue/therapeutic cloning, whole organism/reproductive cloning.

What is gene cloning used for?

To create proteins by inserting genes into host organisms.

What is tissue/therapeutic cloning?

Cloning used to produce stem cells and tissues for medical therapies.

What does reproductive cloning involve?

Creating copies of whole organisms for commercial gain.

What is a common product obtained from gene cloning?

Insulin.

What is somatic cell nuclear transfer?

A method where a somatic cell nucleus is transferred to an enucleated egg cell to create a zygote.

What animal was the first to be cloned in 1996?

Dolly the sheep.

What year was Dolly the sheep cloned?

1996.

What is a major risk associated with therapeutic cloning?

Stem cells may accumulate mutations that could lead to cancer.

What is a concern regarding reproductive cloning?

Ethical issues, including rights of clones and the potential for deformed embryos.

Why is gene cloning widely accepted?

It has significant human gains and is a well-regulated technique.

What can cloned embryonic stem cells potentially be used for?

Understanding diseases and testing new drugs.

What are GMOs created for in agriculture?

To produce crops with desired traits, such as higher yields or disease resistance.

What ethical considerations arise from cloning?

Concerns about cloning rights, exploitation, and the nature vs. nurture debate.

What is a benefit of cloning livestock?

To produce organisms that yield more milk or leaner meat.

What could be one application of cloning in healthcare?

Generating tissues necessary for transplants.

How does cloning potentially affect endangered species?

It can help build population sizes.

What is the experimental stage of tissue generation aiming to treat?

Diseases like heart failure.

What is a limitation of cloning that researchers face?

High costs and rarity of success.

What are embryonic stem cells?

Cells that can develop into any cell type and are harvested during early development.

How does gene cloning contribute to drug development?

By producing proteins needed for treatments, like insulin for diabetics.

What is the concern with the cloning process itself?

Increased rates of premature aging and organ damage in clones.

What can be done to improve the efficiency of gene cloning?

Using plasmids to introduce genes into host cells.

What has been learned from the cloning of animals, like Dolly?

Clones may not live as long as their non-cloned counterparts.

What is the role of restriction enzymes in gene cloning?

They cut the gene out of its original genome for cloning purposes.

What developments are associated with cloning technology?

Creating clones for financial gain, study, and potentially therapeutic uses.