23261573 FC501 Irene Hargan

ESSAY
To What Extent is Human Therapeutic Cloning Still a Viable Technology?
By: Val Piekarsa
Student ID: 2361573
Module Code: FC 501
Instructor: Irene Hargan

informal language
Add opinions on how to overcome the obstacles
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23261573 FC501 Irene Hargan

The advancements in therapeutic cloning research have led to many considerable

developments and improvements in other parts of science, such as stem cell research and
biotechnology, as well as offering tremendous potentials in the areas of regenerative
medicine, understanding genetic defects, and treatment of degenerative diseases.
Therapeutic cloning works by transferring the nucleus of a somatic cell into an enucleated
oocyte to grow pluripotent stem cells that have the same genome as the nuclear donor,
overcoming the need of immunosuppressive drugs for the patient. However, despite the
potential benefits it offers, it must first succeed in overcoming current scientific and ethical
complications and prove to be better than therapeutic cloning alternatives, to be considered
a feasible technology that is worth investing in.

The procedure of Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (NTSC) is similar to that of

reproductive cloning. The nucleus (part of the cell that contains DNA) of a donor somatic cell
is removed, then inserted into an enucleated egg/oocyte (oocyte that has had its own
nucleus removed) and incorporated to the donor nucleus through a process called
electrofusion, where small electric pulses are used to fuse the nucleus and the oocyte
together. In reproductive cloning, the oocyte is injected into a womb, and grows into a
baby; in therapeutic cloning, the cell is left in vitro (outside a living organism) until its
blastocyst form, where its inner mass, the nuclear transfer embryonic stem cells (ntESC), are
harvested by destroying the outer mass, the embryo. Through this process, ESCs are
histocompatible to its patient (will not trigger immune system responses) and is pluripotent,
capable of differentiating into any cell-line in the body, compared to multipotent adult stem
cells, capable of differentiating only into a specific-cell line.

Cloning itself is a controversial subject that raises many legal and ethical issues. Research
on embryos was legalized in the UK in 1990, leading to the success of Dr. Ian Wilmut on
cloning a mammal in 1996 that reached global attention. Moral issues regarding the use of
embryos led to a change in the law in 2001 (Human Reproductive Cloning Act), permitting
only therapeutic cloning and research using embryos to seek treatment for diseases. The
new law states that research performed on the embryo may only be done in its first 14 days
of development, as the nervous system develops after 14 days. The mechanisms existing in
Britain in regulating stem cell research is also applied in some other countries, like South
Africa. Countries including France, Germany, Ireland, and Denmark makes no distinction
between reproductive cloning and therapeutic cloning, prohibiting research on embryos
requiring their destruction. In the U.S., the use of human embryos for research is permitted,
but federal funding is not, therefore relying on the scarcity of private funding. Most of these
laws are in place as most scientists would agree that reproductive cloning would not offer
pleasant results as most clones would have genetic disorders and pain inflicted unto them,
though many agree on using SCNT to develop cures for serious diseases. Another problem
reproductive cloning faces, which also affects therapeutic cloning, is that cloning is highly
inefficient; having a constant demand for oocytes from donors, requiring an immense
amount of funding and donors, and raising issues regarding undue pressure on women.

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Unfortunately, due to legislative constraints and subsequent lack of funding, this is not
possible. Consequently, due to the various ethical and legal issues these types of research
face, investors are not confident in funding therapeutic cloning research, leaving
therapeutic cloning a very limited amount of funding from a very few.

In 2006, Yamanaka successfully produced the first ever induced pluripotent stem
cells (iPSC) in adult mice by injecting certain genes in them (genetic reprogramming). The
cells produced are similar to ESCs, but unlike ESCs, iPS cells are not derived from embryos,
therefore eliminating the bioethical controversies causing issues in SCNT research. With the
absence of ethical issues, investors would be more interested in iPSCs than SCNT research,
offering more funds available for iPSC researchers. This method of deriving stem cells,
however, increases the risk of triggering cancer in patients as the procedure involves usage
of mutagenesis-related genes and permanent genetic changes in the cell. In the present day,
scientists can derive stem cells that are histocompatible to each individual patient using
both methods, so the question of which method is better in producing stem cells is still
under debate.

Nowadays, nuclear transfer research is mostly aimed at understanding how just one
cell could transform into one whole being, as well as trying to use this information to
understand and perhaps cure diseases like diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases like
Parkinsons, multiple sclerosis, or maybe even cancer. In fact, some scientists have claimed
to be very close to curing some of these diseases. Egli et al, for example, claims that he and
his colleagues are very close to finding a treatment for type 1 diabetics after succeeding in
putting insulin-producing cells in mice by means of SCNT. Furthermore, stem cell research
by Lindvall O. et al in 2004 states that stem cells could differentiate into neurons in our
brain, spreading light into treatment possibilities for damaged neurons caused by
neurodegenerative disorders. In Japan, stem cell biologist Takanori et. al succeeded in
generating human liver buds by SCNT methods, though full organs would be his goal in the
next decade. Many of these diseases affect a considerable number of people worldwide; in
the UK alone, around 3.5 million people have been diagnosed with diabetes, at least
127,000 people diagnosed with Parkinsons, and at least another 127,000 diagnosed with
multiple sclerosis. The success of finding a cure for these diseases would certainly be one of
the greatest potentials therapeutic cloning may offer.

Overall, human therapeutic cloning has the potential in changing the world of medicine;
by using histocompatible pluripotent stem cells that are patient-specific as a means of
medication, anyone could be cured of almost any diseases we know of, including
Parkinsons disease, diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis, paralysis, and undergo organ
transplantation without the need for immunosuppressive drugs. The knowledge acquired
from finding out how just one cell could evolve into a complex living being would help find
out causes of genetic disorders, and provide treatment for them. Difficulties persist,
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however, including low oocyte availability, epigenetic reprogramming of the genome, legal
issues, legal issues, and the availability of a less controversial alternative to therapeutic
cloning such as iPSC use. In this regard, therapeutic cloning is seen as a dying area of
research and is likely not going to be considered a viable technology in more years coming if
there are no significant breakthroughs in the near future.

Lindvall, O., Kokaia, Z. & Martinez-Serrano, A. Stem cell therapy for human
neurodegenerative disordershow to make it work. Nature Med. 10 (suppl.), S42S50
(2004).
Lindvall, O., 2004. Recovery and Rehabilitation in Stroke, Stroke, p.2691-2693. Lund,
Sweden: Am Heart Association, Inc.
The stroke dude

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2323472/
Kfoury, C.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12126806
Ethical Dimensions of TC
http://blues.sabinet.co.za/WebZ/Authorize?sessionid=0:autho=pubmed:password=pubmed
2004&/AdvancedQuery?&format=F&next=images/ejour/m_samj/m_samj_v94_n11_a18.pd
f
South african and legal issues 14 days limit
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15587453
ethical and legal controversies
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12470538
Regulation of TC in UK

Website

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http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/learningandteaching

https://www.nature.com/articles/nprot.2014.020

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Vogel, G. (2015). Mitochondrial Gene Therapy Passes Final U.K. Vote. Retrieved 10th
November 2017 from: http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2015/02/mitochondrial-gene-
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Alexander, B. (2015). Is Cloning Still a Viable Technology? Retrieved 1st November 2017
from: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/536146/is-cloning-still-a-viable-technology/
Smith, G. (2005). Therapeutic Cloning, and Stem Cell Research. Retrieved 10th November
2017 from: https://www.thenakedscientists.com/articles/features/therapeutic-cloning-and-
stem-cell-research

Murnaghan, I. (2017). Therapeutic Cloning. Retrieved 11th November 2017 from:

http://www.explorestemcells.co.uk/therapeuticcloning.html

Kolata, G. (1997). Scientist Reports First Ever Cloning of Adult Mammal. Retrieved 2nd
November 2017 from: http://www.nytimes.com/1997/02/23/us/scientist-reports-first-
cloning-ever-of-adult-mammal.html
Diabetes UK. (2016). Prevalence of Diabetes. Retrieved 8th November 2017 from:
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storage/migration/pdf/DiabetesUK_Facts_Stats_Oct16.pdf
Parkinsons UK. (2017). Media and Press Office. Retrieved 8th November 2017 from:
https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/about-us/media-and-press-office

MS Society. (2016). MS in the UK. Retrieved 8th November 2017 from:

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016_0.pdf
Takebe, T. (2014). Generation of a vascularized and functional human liver from an iPSC-derived
organ bud transplant. Nature Protocol, 9 (1), 396-409.

Kfoury, C.

Mackenzie IS, Morant SV, Bloomfield GA, et al. Incidence and prevalence of multiple sclerosis in the
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Psychiatry Published Online First: 19 September 2013 doi:10.1136/jnnp-2013-305450