Cloning

• What is a clone?

  An organism produced from a single original organism that is genetically identical
• There are two methods of plant cloning:

  1. Cuttings
  2. Tissue culture
• To clone a plant using cuttings, a branch from the parent plant is cut off. The stem is planted into a damp compost. Plant hormones are often used to encourage new roots to develop. After a few weeks, new roots develop and a new plant is produced, genetically identical to the parent plant.
• Tissue culture is used to clone a plant and produce lots. A tissue sample is scraped from a parent plant. The tissue sample is placed in agar growth medium containing nutrients. The samples develop into tiny plantlets and they are then planted into compost. The conditions have to be sterile.
• There are two methods of animal cloning:

  1. Embryo cloning
  2. Adult cell cloning
• In embryo cloning, an egg cell is fertilised. The zygotes develop into embryos and then are removed from the uterus. The embryos are split into several smaller embryos and are placed into the uteruses of foster mothers.
• In adult cell cloning, a body cell is taken from an animal. The DNA is extracted from this cell. An egg cell from another animal or the same gender of species is taken. The nucleus is then removed from the egg cell and replaced with the DNA from the body cell of the first animal. The egg cell is electrically shocked and develops into an embryo, which is then placed inside the uterus of a foster mother.