The Idea of an Essay, Volume 3

Research Writing 173 eventually producing a fetus (Islam et al. 258; Mcgee). This is the process that was used to create Dolly, an exact genetic copy of her somatic cell donor, and scientists believe that a similar process could be used to create human clones. Additionally, in the nearly two decades since Dolly’s birth, this cloning method has been used countless times to produce a number of mammals. The extent to which such practices take place today is considerable. For example, South Korean Dr. Hwang opened Sooam, a foundation for research in biotechnology in 2006. Since this opening, his practice has cloned over 400 dogs, an astounding daily 300 embryos of cow and pigs alike, and continues research into cloning coyotes and endangered African wild dogs. The purpose for the domesticated dog cloning, the first of which Dr. Hwang cloned in 2005, is largely for wealthy American customers and helps to fund other projects. However, the cloning of cows and pigs is part of grander research into development of protein-rich cow milk and potential for human-compatible and transferrable pig organs (Cyranoski 468- 470). Through continued research and experimentation, mammal cloning is not only now possible, but occurring in abundance for both pleasure and use in the beneficence of medical science. Although animal cloning for medical research is now evidently commonplace, the concept of human cloning presents its own set of potential medical benefits. One of the most astounding examples of medical progress through the cloning of humans is the possible eradication of infertility. While female infertility has, in modern times, its own set of solutions involving in vitro fertilization as well as the use of surrogate mothers, the major contribution that cloning would offer is the curing of male infertility, or even removing the necessity of a male from the process completely, if desired. This is because a male or female somatic cell nucleus could be used in the cloning process, giving a hopeful mother the ability to carry, birth, and raise her own clone, the clone of a donor, or the clone of her husband (Islam et al. 258-259). Thus, both male and female infertility would become nonexistent. Additionally, the use of human cloning could potentially be used in the curing of certain genetic diseases and to create an ample number of tissue and organs available for donation. For example, if a couple