Dolly the Sheep The Topic of Human Reproductive Cloning Has Been Highly Debated

question 10

Multiple Choice

Dolly the Sheep
The topic of human reproductive cloning has been highly debated for decades. However, the world's most famous clone was actually a sheep. Dolly the Sheep (July 5, 1996 - February 14, 2003) was the first mammal to have been successfully cloned from an adult cell. Cloned at the Roslin Institute in Midlothian, Scotland, it took seven months for Dolly's cloning to be publicly announced. Once the success of the experiment was made known, though, it was considered by some to be a scientific, revolutionary breakthrough that changed the history of cloning.
Most people probably do not realize that cloning has existed since the beginning of time. For example, organisms such as bacteria create offspring that are genetically identical to the parent through asexual reproduction, the primary form of reproduction for single-celled organisms. In biotechnology, cloning is known as the process of producing copies of cells or DNA fragments. In the cloning of Dolly the Sheep, British biologists called upon the somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) technique.
The SCNT technique is a process in which the nucleus from an ordinary, adult cell is transferred into an enucleated oocyte, or commonly known as an unfertilized, developing egg cell. Then, the hybrid cell is divided by an electric shock and implanted in a surrogate mother. In this case, Dolly the Sheep had three mothers, one of which provided the egg, one that provided the DNA, and one that carried the cloned embryo to term. The SCNT process is not only a substantially effective form of animal cloning, but it results in a creature having nearly the same genetic potential as the one providing the nuclear DNA.
Interestingly, while Dolly the Sheep is considered to be the most famous cloning experiment, it was not the first time that an animal had been cloned. In fact, other sheep had been cloned in 1984 and 1995, but these experiments were not as notable since they involved embryonic and fetal cells. The fact that Dolly the Sheep had been made from adult cells is what set the experiment apart from the rest. This successful cloning broke new ground in both biology and medicine, as it proved that genetic material from a specific adult cell could be programmed to grow a completely different organism.
Dolly the Sheep also triggered an intense worldwide response and a burning debate regarding bioethics. Skeptics and critics of the SCNT technique argued that the process could be used to create human clones, which could act as a violation of human dignity. Some countries even banned cloning and considered it illegal. Those in favor of the SCNT technique, on the other hand, argued that SCNT could help improve understanding of aging and genetics, while also leading to the production of cheaper medicines.
Which of the following statements from the passage is an opinion?

• A)"Most people probably do not realize that cloning has existed since the beginning of time."
• B)"The topic of human reproductive cloning has been highly debated for decades."
• C)"Dolly the Sheep had three mothers, one of which provided the egg, one that provided the DNA, and one that carried the cloned embryo to term."
• D)"Once the success of the experiment was made known, though, it was considered by some to be a scientific, revolutionary breakthrough that changed the history of cloning."

---

Definitions:

Pay

The amount of money or compensation given to an employee by an employer in exchange for work performed, usually provided on a regular basis such as hourly, weekly, or monthly.

Identity Certainty

A strong sense of clarity and confidence in one’s beliefs, goals, and sense of self.

Confident Power

The strength and assertiveness someone displays stemming from a strong belief in their own abilities and judgment.

Generativity

A stage of psychosocial development, in adulthood, concerned with establishing and guiding the next generation.