Cloned
An SPU
Biologist
Reflects on the
Debate About
Dolly
by Cynthia Fitch
Assistant
Professor of
Biology
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God has made us caretakers of creation, says Cindy Fitch, seen here examining a DNA model. That role, she argues, includes protecting genetic diversity. | ||
When scientists announced in February of this year that they had "cloned" a sheep, what once seemed the stuff of science fiction to most Americans suddenly became real. And what followed was a near frenzy of interest on the part of the media, the government and the public.
Since then, articles on Dolly the sheep have appeared in more than 100 magazines nationwide. From politicians to people on the street, speculation regarding the scientific breakthrough has been widespread. What is it about this announcement that has generated so much curiosity, confusion - and even fear? It's certainly not the addition of another sheep, but the circumstances of her birth.
As a biologist, a teacher, a parent and a Christian, I have watched these events with great interest. Many of the questions related to cloning have far-reaching implications. Is cloning a new and better way to create the organisms of a species? Could it be a solution to the endangered species dilemma? If this process were applied to humans, would it be ethical? Would cloning humans allow us to better understand human behavior? What would be the long-term consequences?
I think the questions regarding the potential of human cloning are ultimately the most complex. Last month's TV movie Cloned envisioned a not-so-distant time when multiple genetic copies of the same human baby are produced for desperate would-be parents. Are we prepared to make intelligent decisions about an issue so volatile, so central to who we are as human beings?
To develop an informed opinion about cloning, we must be knowledgeable about what it is that scientists are actually doing. My job as a biologist is to understand both the scientific knowledge that has been gained in these experiments and its implications. My desire as a teacher is to share that information with others so that we are able to make decisions together about an issue that will surely impact our future and the future of our children.
The Science of Cloning "Both the genetics community and the world at large are coming to an unsettling conclusion: the science is the easy part." - Time Magazine, March 10, 1997 |
The DNA content of a single cell contains all of the biological instructions required for life. This complete DNA content is normally achieved in humans through the process of fertilization. The egg, containing half of the necessary DNA, combines with the sperm, which contains the other, complementary half. The resulting cell carries the genetic information necessary for all life activities. This cell is now a "zygote" and is signaled to proceed with development and begins to divide over and over again.
The process of cloning Dolly bypassed this natural process of fertilization and replaced it with a kind of "technical asexual" reproduction. Scientists removed cells, each containing a complete set of biological instructions, from the mammary tissue of a single sheep (the "DNA donor"). Meanwhile, unfertilized eggs were taken from another sheep (the "egg donor") and physically manipulated so that the DNA, contained in the cell's nucleus, was removed.
The next step in the cloning process was to take the cells from the "DNA donor" and physically inject them, in their entirety, into the manipulated egg. With the addition of the DNA from the mammary tissue, the egg cell was now complete and contained a full set of genetic information; thus it was signaled to develop and begin dividing.
The new cell acted like a zygote and divided many times. After approximately six days, this newly formed embryo was implanted into the womb of yet another sheep, the "surrogate mother." Out of 277 manipulated eggs, and 29 implanted embryos, one sheep was born: Dolly.
Dolly is a clone because her DNA, in every single one of her cells, is an exact copy of the DNA from the sheep we called the "DNA donor." The egg from the "egg donor" contributed no inheritable genetic information to Dolly.
For scientists, the experiment's breakthrough was in its simplicity and its boldness. What they learned was that DNA from older, more specialized cells was capable of providing the biological instructions for a whole new organism. Until then, scientists were not sure if this was possible in mammals. In that respect, the scientific knowledge gained was very important, providing new insight into the functioning of the DNA molecule.
It is the potential applications of cloning, however, that have struck a nerve in the human community.
We Can, But Should We? "It will be up to science to determine if human cloning can be done. It is up to the rest of us to determine if it should be." - Time Magazine, March 10, 1997 |
Cloning a human being, if modeled after the Dolly experiment, would not be technically difficult. Of course, the important question is not can it be done, but should it be done. Last March, I was asked this very question on a local TV panel, The Compton Report. My opinion then and now is that human cloning is not something we should pursue - for any reason.
The ramifications of cloning a human being are of concern to me on many levels. I am the mother of two young sons and I appreciate the profundity of birth, life and development. I believe humans are created by God and the miracle of creation is when sperm meets egg, even if it is in a lab dish. The wonder is when these complementary halves of DNA come together to make a new, unique and complete individual. I do not think this basic miracle of life should be bypassed through technology.
Christians believe that God designed each person individually - and all aspects of the natural biological process work toward this uniqueness. Every sperm or egg cell produced by the body is unique every time, and these cells have complicated, intricate ways to ensure that every cell they produce is also unique. The variety is enhanced even more when two unique cells come together in fertilization to form a unique human being.
Cloning bypasses all of these naturally occurring mechanisms of genetic diversity - and this is where I take a stand as a scientist against the cloning of humans. Loss of cellular uniqueness and genetic diversity poses one of the greatest potential dangers to any organism. Through cloning, flaws in a single copy of DNA can be magnified. In the case of multiple copies of one human baby, a serious disease or defect could affect not one, but millions of people. Lack of genetic diversity is, in fact, one of the primary reasons species become extinct.
God has entrusted us as caretakers of his creation, and I argue that this job includes protecting our genetic diversity. This is not to say that the science of cloning does not have its legitimate uses. I think our energies for now should be focused on using the process, in strictly controlled laboratory situations, to understand the nature of genetic disease and to enhance in vitro fertilization treatments.
According to a March Time/CNN poll, the American people overwhelmingly say they would not want to clone themselves. Seventy-four percent indicated they believe it is against God's will to clone human beings, and 65 percent said they feel government should regulate the cloning of animals.
The reality of scientific discovery is that we cannot just stop and say, "We shouldn't do it," and expect that it won't happen. Even a governmental ban, as has been enacted, will not necessarily stop the progress of this research. Consequently, the ethics of these techniques need to be discussed thoroughly - and immediately - among scientists and lay people alike.
As a Christian, I have looked for a biblical passage to assist in my thinking about cloning. Of course, there is no such verse as "thou shalt not clone." But God has given us the gift of discernment. It is in circumstances such as these that we must make use of this great gift.
Science could be as few as seven years away from the first cloned human infant. We as professionals, parents and Christians must be knowledgeable and responsible participants in a very difficult debate about the science of cloning. We must talk about it now, so that any decisions made are ones we have reasoned through together and deemed acceptable together.
"In calendar terms, seven years from now is a good way off; in scientific terms, it's tomorrow afternoon." - Time Magazine, March 10, 1997 |
Cynthia Fitch, assistant professor of biology at Seattle Pacific University, earned her Ph.D. in genetics and molecular biology from Iowa State University. In addition to teaching at SPU since 1994, she has an association with the University of Washington, where she is a research scientist and affiliate faculty member.
Fitch has worked with colleagues Grayson Capp (chemistry) and Rick Ridgway (biology) to design a biotechnology program at Seattle Pacific that is unique among Christian universities. SPU recently added a new biochemistry major to the curriculum, as well as a "biotechnology pathway" which is part of the traditional biology and chemistry majors. In June, Fitch received news from the National Science Foundation that she and Seattle Pacific had been awarded $80,000 toward the creation of a biotechnology laboratory on campus.
Selected as an official delegate of "Project Kaleidoscope,"
Fitch is part of a national network of science faculty which will meet in
November in Houston, Texas, to discuss issues of science curriculum and
research.
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