Reproductive cloning is the process of creating a genetically identical copy of an organism. The spelling of this word can be explained through IPA phonetic transcription. The first syllable, "re", is pronounced as "ri" with a long "i" sound. The second syllable, "pro", is pronounced as "prəʊ". The third syllable, "duc", is pronounced as "dju" with a long "u" sound. The fourth syllable, "tive", is pronounced as "tɪv". Finally, the word ends with "clone", pronounced as "kləʊn". Together, the word is pronounced as "ri-prəʊ-djuktɪv-kləʊn".
Reproductive cloning refers to a method of creating an exact genetic copy or replica of an existing organism. This scientific technique involves extracting the DNA from a donor organism's somatic cell, which is any cell other than a sperm or egg cell, and inserting it into an enucleated egg cell. The enucleated egg cell acts as a surrogate mother, providing the egg with the necessary cytoplasm for development.
The resulting cloned embryo is then implanted into a surrogate mother, where it undergoes gestation and eventually develops into a genetically identical organism to the donor. This process essentially bypasses sexual reproduction, as a clone is created without the involvement of sperm and egg cells.
Reproductive cloning has been a topic of ethical debate due to concerns about the potential for exploitation, the risks associated with cloning, and the implications for the identity and individuality of the cloned organism. It is important to differentiate reproductive cloning from therapeutic cloning, which aims to create stem cells for medical purposes rather than replicating an entire organism.
Although reproductive cloning has been achieved in various animal species, including mammals like sheep and monkeys, it still poses significant scientific and technical challenges, making it ethically and practically controversial for human applications.
The term "reproductive cloning" is composed of two words: "reproductive" and "cloning".
The word "reproductive" comes from the Latin word "reproducere", which consists of "re-" (meaning "again" or "backward") and "producere" (meaning "to bring forth" or "to produce"). Thus, "reproductive" refers to the process of generating or bringing forth new individuals of the same species.
The term "cloning" originates from the Greek word "klṓn", meaning "twig" or "branch". It was first used by the plant scientist Herbert J. Webber in the early 20th century to describe asexual reproduction in plants where genetically identical cells or organisms are produced.