cloning

• What is micropropagation?

  Micropropagation is a process in which very small pieces of plants are grown using nutrient media.
• What does 'in vitro' mean in the context of micropropagation?

  'In vitro' means that the plants are grown outside a living organism, typically in petri dishes on nutrient agar.
• What are the steps involved in the micropropagation process?

  1. Cells are scraped from the parent plant (explants).
  2. Explants are sterilised with disinfectant and rinsed with sterile water.
  3. Sterilised explants are placed in a sterile petri dish with nutrient agar.
  4. The growth medium encourages explant cells to grow into callus.
  5. Callus is transferred to fresh growth medium with plant growth regulators.
  6. Plantlets develop roots, stems, and leaves.
  7. Plantlets are transferred to potting trays to grow into plants.

  
• What are explants in the micropropagation process?

  Explants are the small pieces of cells scraped from the parent plant.
• Why are explants sterilised before being placed in nutrient agar?

  Explants are sterilised to prevent contamination from microorganisms.
• What is a callus in the context of micropropagation?

  A callus is a small mass of cells that forms from the growth of explant cells.
• What role do plant growth regulators play in micropropagation?

  Plant growth regulators cause the callus to develop roots, stems, and leaves, forming a plantlet.
• What is the final outcome of the micropropagation process?

  The final outcome is the development of plantlets that can grow into mature plants.
• What are the advantages of micropropagation?

  • Clones are genetically identical.
  • Allows production of desirable plant varieties.
  • Cheap and high yield.
  • Quick growth of plantlets.
  • Year-round production.
  • Disease-free or resistant plants can be bred.
  • Preserves rare plant species.
• What are the disadvantages of micropropagation?

  • Requires trained personnel and sterile labs.
  • All plants are genetically identical, vulnerable to diseases.
  • Lack of genetic variation reduces adaptability.
• What is embryo cloning?

  Embryo cloning is a method to clone animals using embryo transplants.
• How is embryo cloning performed in cattle?

  Embryo cloning involves fertilising egg cells from the best cow with sperm from the best bull and cloning the offspring.
• What happens to the embryo during the embryo cloning process?

  The developing embryo is split apart before the cells become specialised, forming many genetically identical embryos.
• What is adult cell cloning?

  Adult cell cloning involves inserting the nucleus from an adult body cell into an unfertilised egg cell.
• What stimulates the egg cell to divide in adult cell cloning?

  A small electric shock stimulates the egg cell to divide by mitosis to form an embryo.
• Who was the first cloned mammal and when was it created?

  The first cloned mammal was Dolly the sheep, created in 1996.
• What are the benefits of cloning?

  • Helps preserve endangered species.
  • Allows for quick production of high-quality plants.
  • Increases yields using high-quality livestock and plants.
• What are the risks associated with cloning?

  • Lack of genetic diversity increases vulnerability to disease.
  • Cloned animals may not be as healthy as normal ones.
  • Ethical concerns, especially regarding human cloning.
• What is pharming in the context of cloning?

  Pharming is the process of producing medicines in the milk of transgenic animals.
• What is a transgenic animal?

  A transgenic animal is bred to contain a foreign gene within its genome.
• What are some examples of compounds produced through pharming?

  Examples include antibodies for cancer, blood clotting factor IX, and alpha-1-antitrypsin for cystic fibrosis.
• What are the key steps in the process of cloning to produce human proteins?

  1. Create a transgenic animal with a foreign gene.
  2. The gene causes the animal to produce a useful compound in its milk.
  3. Clone the animal to produce a herd that produces the same compound.