Therapeutic Cloning

Therapeutic Cloning Definition One: Therapeutic cloning is a technique that would be used to produce cloned embryos, but only to create stem cells that can in turn be used to repair damaged or defective tissue in the parent of the cloned cells. Such stem cells could theoretically be used to grow replacement livers or hearts (or any of a variety of organs) for transplant without fear of rejection. They might be used to create healthy nerve cells for people with Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. Skin cells could be derived from cloned stem cells for burn victims. (1)

Therapeutic Cloning Definition Two: A procedure in which cells, typically skin cells, are taken from a patient and inserted into a fertilized egg whose nucleus has been removed. The cell that is so created is permitted to divide repeatedly to form a blastocyst. Scientists then extract stem cells from it, and use those cells to grow tissue that are a perfect genetic match for the patient. (2)

17 Americans die each day (3) waiting for a transplant. Thats an average of 6,200 Americans a year. With people unwilling to release their organs after death for a person in need, it makes sense to clone organs. By cloning organs for specific races, blood types and genders the extensive need of organs could be eliminated. Though this crosses into the realm of stem cell research, the fact that organs could be cloned for human benefit eliminating 6,200 deaths a year is remarkable. Scientists have already been able to clone skin cells to help burn victims and have found great success (4).

1. "AFAR: Therapeutic Cloning." AFAR: Infoaging: Information about the biology of aging, healthy aging and diseases of aging. 19 May 2009 .

2. "Therapeutic cloning definition - Medical Dictionary definitions of popular medical terms easily defined on MedTerms." 19 May 2009 .

3. "How to Be an Organ & Tissue Donor." 19 May 2009 .

4. "Cloning." Birmingham City Council - Home Page. 19 May 2009 .