A Review on Cloning and Stem Cells

Tayyaba Shaheen, Saba Irshad

Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of the Punjab, Lahore

Corresponding author email:saba.ibb@pu.edu.pk

Abstract :

Stem cells are defined as cells that have clonogenic and self-renewing capabilities and that differentiate into multiple cell lineages. Embryonic stem cells have pluripotent capacity, able to form tissues of all 3 germ layers but unable to form an entire live being. Adult stem cells were previously thought to have a restricted capacity to differentiate; however, several reports have described their plasticity potential. Research with embryonic stem cells has enabled investigators to make substantial gains in therapeutic tissue engineering, and reproductive cloning. In reproductive cloning the improper reprogramming of clone’s genome reduces the potential to develop into normal human being, however, embryonic stem cells derived from a cloned embryo are functionally indistinguishable from those that have been generated from embryos derived through in vitro fertilization. IVF not only provided the means to overcome many forms of infertility, but it also enabled research on the derivation of human embryonic stem cells. Reproductive cloning is banned but the potential of therapeutic cloning is recognized and it is considered that it should be fostered in research. Key words: Stem cells, Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), Reproductive cloning, Therapeutic cloning, In vitro fertilization (IVF)