Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer:
Cloning: Production of one or more individual plant or animals that are genetically identical.
Scientific techniques are used to create genetically identical organisms
Types of Cloning:
1. Embryo Cloning
2. Reproductive
3. Therapeutic Cloning
These types of cloning there will be input from in-vivo or in-vitro complications and ethical rationale
whether these processes should be interfered with.
Embryo Cloning:
When the egg is fertilised and at the fertilised egg separates to divide into two. They are identical
twins. This is embryo cloning (in-vivo process). Monozygotic twins are identical twins are identical in
their genetic makeup but will vary due to their epigenetic makeup (since it is defined by the
environment).
We can artificially split the embryo into the 8 cells, which are identical clones (Limited). Both the
nuclear and the mitochondrial genes will be identical.
Reproductive Cloning:
- Production of a supplicate of existing animals usually sheep.
- They result in the production of many severe genetical defects.
Nuclear Replacement
Genetic material (nucleus from the adult cell), is taken and removed and put into an unfertilised
egg. The nuclear genes are the same, but the mitochondrial DNA is not. This is important because
we do not know the effect of the different DNA.
1. Take Nucleus from somatic cells (Diploid)
2. Take an Oocyte and remove the nucleus (haploid) to give an enucleated cell
3. Fuse the Nucleus from the somatic cells and the Enucleated cell
4. Stimulate cell division
5. Implantation
This result in a clone of the somatic cell.
Therapeutic Cloning:
Manipulation reproductive clone. Instead of allowing the embryo to be implanted into the surrogate
mother, we instead allow it to grow to the blastocyst stage, take out 1/8 cells and make a patient
specific cell line and we can transplant the other 7 cells back into the blastocyst to give a proper
embryo. This SC can then differentiate into any cell type in vitro but only if the right growth factors
are given e.g. Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) for skeletal muscle differentiation. We can manipulate
it back in the lab. The tissues are transplanted back into the patient and because the cell is the patient’s
own, they will not be rejected.
In both therapeutic and reproductive cloning, once you remove and replace the nucleus of the somatic
cells, cell division must be stimulated, because if you don’t the cell will remain quiescent and will not
proceed in time.
SCNT: Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer
Hold the egg in place with a holding pipette under the microscope. Then there is piercing of the zona
pellucida to remove the nucleus from the egg. Then do the same to the somatic cells and allow the
Cloning: Production of one or more individual plant or animals that are genetically identical.
Scientific techniques are used to create genetically identical organisms
Types of Cloning:
1. Embryo Cloning
2. Reproductive
3. Therapeutic Cloning
These types of cloning there will be input from in-vivo or in-vitro complications and ethical rationale
whether these processes should be interfered with.
Embryo Cloning:
When the egg is fertilised and at the fertilised egg separates to divide into two. They are identical
twins. This is embryo cloning (in-vivo process). Monozygotic twins are identical twins are identical in
their genetic makeup but will vary due to their epigenetic makeup (since it is defined by the
environment).
We can artificially split the embryo into the 8 cells, which are identical clones (Limited). Both the
nuclear and the mitochondrial genes will be identical.
Reproductive Cloning:
- Production of a supplicate of existing animals usually sheep.
- They result in the production of many severe genetical defects.
Nuclear Replacement
Genetic material (nucleus from the adult cell), is taken and removed and put into an unfertilised
egg. The nuclear genes are the same, but the mitochondrial DNA is not. This is important because
we do not know the effect of the different DNA.
1. Take Nucleus from somatic cells (Diploid)
2. Take an Oocyte and remove the nucleus (haploid) to give an enucleated cell
3. Fuse the Nucleus from the somatic cells and the Enucleated cell
4. Stimulate cell division
5. Implantation
This result in a clone of the somatic cell.
Therapeutic Cloning:
Manipulation reproductive clone. Instead of allowing the embryo to be implanted into the surrogate
mother, we instead allow it to grow to the blastocyst stage, take out 1/8 cells and make a patient
specific cell line and we can transplant the other 7 cells back into the blastocyst to give a proper
embryo. This SC can then differentiate into any cell type in vitro but only if the right growth factors
are given e.g. Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) for skeletal muscle differentiation. We can manipulate
it back in the lab. The tissues are transplanted back into the patient and because the cell is the patient’s
own, they will not be rejected.
In both therapeutic and reproductive cloning, once you remove and replace the nucleus of the somatic
cells, cell division must be stimulated, because if you don’t the cell will remain quiescent and will not
proceed in time.
SCNT: Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer
Hold the egg in place with a holding pipette under the microscope. Then there is piercing of the zona
pellucida to remove the nucleus from the egg. Then do the same to the somatic cells and allow the
