Cloning Flashcards
(4 cards)
Cloning:
Take an unfertilised egg cell and remove its nucleus.
Nucleus is taken from an adult body cell.
This is the diploid nucleus containing the full number of chromosomes.
The egg cell is enuculated.
The diploid nucleus is inserted into the ‘empty’ egg cell.
Egg cell is stimulated by an electric shock - this makes it divide by mitosis, like a normal embryo.
When the embryo is a ball of cells, it’s implanted into an adult female (surrogate mother) to grow into genetically identical copy of the original adult body cell.
Cloning mammals:
Cloned mammals can be made by adult cell cloning.
Cloning is a type of asexual reproduction.
It produces cells that are genetically identical to an original cell.
Advantages of cloning mammals:
Organisms that are slow to breed normally can be reproduced quickly.
Could help with the shortage of organs for transplants.
The study of animal clones could lead to greater understanding of the development of the embryo, and of ageing and age-related disorders.
Could help preserve endangered species.
Provides a genetically identical cell.
Disadvantages of cloning mammals:
If a clone is susceptible to disease or changes in environment, then all the clones will be susceptible.
Clones are often born with genetic defects.
Cloned mammals immune systems are sometimes unhealthy - suffer from more diseases.
Cloning process often fails.
Cloning mammals lead to a ‘reduced gene pool’.
