Cloning

What is micropropagation?

A plant is selected with desirable characteristics, and a small piece of its tissue is taken (known as explants). The surface of the explants are sterilised using a disinfectant. The explants are grown “in vitro”, in a growth medium (agar), and it encourages the explant cells to grow and divide into small masses of cells (callus). They are then taken from the growth medium and put into soil

Advantages of micropropagation in a commercial sense

A greater yield of plants are able to be produced

They are identical, meaning they retain same characteristic

Disease resistant plants can be bred

Any time of the year

Disadvantages of micropropagation in a commercial sense

All plants are genetically identical so vulnerable to the same diseases and pests

Trained personnel required

What is the process of nuclear transfer cloning?

A nucleus is removed from an unfertilised egg cell, producing an enucleated egg cell. A diploid nucleus is removed from adult body cell and inserted into the enucleated egg cell. An electric shock stimulates the egg cell to start divide by mitosis, forming an embryo, which is then inserted into the womb of another animal (surrogate)

Who was the first animal to clone?

Dolly the sheep

Advantages of cloning

Help preserve endangered species

Resurrect extinct animals

Increase yield by sing high quality live-stock

Disadvantages of cloning

Lack of genetic diversity, all clones vulnerable to same diseases

Some evidence that cloned animals are not as healthy as normal animals

Many believe it is unethical to clone, especially humans

Can result in stillborn children or children with severe disabilities

How can cloned transgenic animals be used to produce human proteins?

Transfer a human gene into an animal’s genome, and this gene would make them produce human proteins in their milk such as antibodies or blood clotting factors