Few weeks ago, the news of Chinese scientists successfully cloning the first primate using the same technique that was used to clone Dolly the sheep two decades ago was all over journals and media everywhere around the world.
While these was seen as a breakthrough for some groups of people, critics raised ethical concerns as these could open doors to the cloning of humans in the near future.
Aren't they adorable
Zhong zhong and Hua Hua identical macaques were born through a process known as somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). This process involves removing the nucleus from the egg cell of one individual, and replacing it with the nucleus of a differentiated body cell from another individual. The reconstructed egg, which is implanted into a third individual, develops into a clone of the individual that donated the replacement nucleus.
Until the most recent breakthrough, every attempt to clone primates with SCNT had failed. The new advancement in the medical tech world has brought the feasibility of cloning right to the doorsteps of our very own specie leading us to ask the big question. Are we next?
Muming Poo, who helped supervise the program at the institute, told reporters in a conference call.
“Humans are primates. So for the cloning of primate species, including humans, the technical barrier is now broken,”
ANSWERS
Fortunately the scientists involved in the cloning come from strictly medical perspective and have declared no intentions of considering humans for cloning
The scientists who worked on the project have pointed out that their study will provide a framework for understanding human diseases and although their work could theoretically lead to the cloning of humans, they are only interested in advancing in the treatment of brain disease such as Alzheimer and autism.
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“Just like nuclear power and artificial intelligence, cloning technology is also a double-edged sword,” said Dr Qiang Sun, the director of the Suzhou Nonhuman Primate Research Facility and leader of the study.
Other scientists also declared their view on the subject noting the medical advantages of performing this kind of research on animals that are so evolutionarily close to humans, but stated that human cloning remains a bad idea.