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Cloning and Stem Cells
Dr. Sophia Kaluzniacki, Delegate, Akita Club of America, Inc.
MEDICAL INFORMATION
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C
loning and stem cells are two
These are adult stem cells and
From the above short overview, it
buzz words in today's world.
embryonic stem cells. An adult stem
can be readily seen that both
Too many people hear these words
cell is an unspecialized cell found in
cloning and stem cell research can
and conjure up pictures of endless
specialized tissues of the body, such
be applied to two broad categories
look-alikes as well as the harvesting
as the liver or heart. These can
in the world of dogs. One is the
of embryos. But that is only a very
renew themselves and (with certain
very narrow category of duplicating
small part of the picture.
limitations) differentiate to yield all
individuals. The other is the furtherFirst let us talk about cloning. By
the specialized cell types of the tising of basic research with the ultidefinition a clone is an exact duplisue from which they originated.
mate goal of developing useful procate of something. In the biological
Scientists in many laboratories are
cedures that researchers feel can
world it is a duplicate of something
trying to find ways to grow adult
change the face of medicine by the
relatively simple such as a fragment
stem cells in cell culture and manipdevelopment of techniques to repair
of DNA, or as complicated as a
damaged organs or even to grow
whole organism. Deliberate
Almost any cells can be cloned transplants. This area of regenercloning has been performed for
ative medicine, as stem cell
including stem cells. Stem cells are research is often called, is a
decades. For instance, plants
have been cloned both in the
primal undifferentiated cells, which very large part of basic research
laboratory as well as commertoday.
retain the ability to differentiate Much of the controversy in
cially for quite some time.
Many plant varieties are propa- into other cell types.
regards to cloning and stem cell
gated by cloning. Cloning has
research is centered in the ethibeen used for years in reproducing
ulate them to generate specific cell
cal debate over reproducing a
viruses and bacteria. Cell lines are
types so they can be used to treat
human, as well as the use of human
often reproduced for basic research
injury or disease. Some examples of
embryos for the harvesting of stem
and in the production of many of our
potential treatments include replaccells. The ethical debate is extended
modern vaccines. DNA is also rouing the dopamine-producing cells in
into the canine field with the Korean
tinely cloned for identification,
the brains of Parkinson's patients,
announcement that a dog has been
forensic, and gene mapping purposdeveloping insulin-producing cells
cloned. This short article was develes. Currently cloning is often menfor Type I Diabetes and repairing
oped to extend the understanding of
tioned in the news with regards to
damaged heart muscle following a
cloning but not to take a stand on
the reproduction of animals. Two
heart attack with cardiac muscle
the ethical issues involved.
D
examples include the sheep cloned
cells.
several years ago in the United
An embryonic stem cell is a primiKingdom, and more recently the
tive (undifferentiated) cell from the
announcement by Korean researchers
embryo. It has the potential to prothat the first dog had been produced
duce a wide variety of specialized
from a cloned cell.
cell types. One of the reasons
Almost any cells can be cloned
researchers are so interested in
including stem cells. Stem cells are
embryonic stems cells is because
primal undifferentiated cells, which
they are more plentiful and have the
retain the ability to differentiate
potential to differentiate into many
into other cell types. There are
more types of specialized cells than
basically two kinds of stem cells.
the stem cells from adult tissues.
PERSPECTIVES
DECEMBER 2005