Would YOU use a clone? - Page 2

SNOW..... I WISH!!! Even in December

On Topic..... I am torn, my heart says YES, my head says NO

I suppose it would depend on the clone, but I would not be opposed in principle.  We're all basically half-clones of our parents, but our life's experience is what sets us apart.  All DNA from the world's organisms is related, the variations presented to us of these recombined instructions are often from the result of periodically created transcription errors.  Clones will likely contain errors as well.  Humans are over 98% genetically identical to each other, and about 75% genetically identical to their dogs.  Then, as Sunsilver mentions, there are other influences to the final "outcome".  Genes set the parameters, environment influences their expression.

Environment affects the way genes are expressed. Neither "nature" nor "nurture" are mutually exclusive, genes are designed to take their cue from nurture. Even development in the womb can even be affected by environmental influences, which in turn will cause genes to react differently. The expression of genes can vary throughout a lifespan, in response to environmental stimuli. Genes don't predetermine or compel behavior, but give predispositions or tendencies toward certain types of behavior, while prior experience and current environment impacts their expression.

"So much research today points to the fact that environment can mold us only in so far as our basic makeup (our genes) allows and facilitates it; at the same time, our genes can control us only through coming to action in different ways depending on our differing experiences."

World's First Cloned Dog Becomes A Father
Breeding of cloned dogs opens the way for cloning sniffer dogs and seeing-eye guide dogs

SEOUL, KOREA — (OfficialWire) — 09/09/08 -- South Korean scientists say Snuppy, the world's first cloned dog, has become a father after the world's first successful breeding of cloned canines.

Seoul National University officials said the Afghan hound impregnated two cloned dogs of the same breed through artificial insemination. The scientists said the whelping marks the first time that puppies have been born from cloned parents. One of the 10 puppies born May 14-18 died, but nine remain healthy.

"This shows the reproductive ability of a cloned dog," said Professor Lee Byung-chun, whose team created Snuppy in 2005 and also produced the world's first cloned wolves. This year he has cloned dogs capable of sniffing out human cancers.

The technology is not there yet in my opinion.   I can only see advantage's used in mass production of say food production, beef, poultry, pork, that kind of thing. 

That will never be cost effective. 

You still have to breed animal's the old fashion way to make any improvement's in a line.  

Then you step off into genetic engineering and my whole attitude change's.  Man can never accomplish what nature does and can only make mistake's that could jeopardize all life as we know it.  

The natural world need's no help from man, only to not be harmed by him.

Many countries will not except cloned and or geneticly engineered  grain's because of this concern, The grain seed companies have been pushing engineered product's for several year's now. 

I see a disaster in the making.   And as usual it all goes back to money.  

Man is not as smart as he would lead you to believe, only greedy and recless.

JMO.

Nope I wouldnt nor would I want my head cut off and stored in deep freeze to preserve the brain.Racing QH and Buzz I agree but I will have to say that there is such a mox nix of the horses being bred today.Meaning that people breed to the new and over breed.Line breed ..In breed to what the market says.There are a few elder stallions around and mares that never hit their mark.You know what I mean.I know abit haha about QH and TB's...and appendix..Look up the TB "Twice Friends".Too bad this stallion isnt being used as he should be.I don't own him.An elder friend of mine has him.PM me.I miss snow as well Guru but it "aint" going to happen in lower AL for me. Candace

IF all the bugs in the science were worked out, and IF I could afford it... YES! Absolutely, without a doubt, without a moment's hesitation. I would give about anything to have my old once-in-a-lifetime dog back with me. I would have no desire to breed him - no desire to have any great VA dog from the past.... just want my old dog back. If that's considered living in the past, so be it. It would be my choice.

If this was to happen, the end result would be just like everything else.  The people with the most money would be at the top of the sport and us average people would  be screwed.  Yes, we could by pups, but the majority of people would still be screwed.  I agree with some others, everyone and everything dies for a reason, just keep moving one.  With breeding you hope to improve the breed over the years or decades.  If this happens like it should a great dog from 20 years ago wouldn't be a good fit 10 years from now.  Just my opinoin.

Tyler

Dolly, the sheep, debuted in 1996 as the first mammal cloned from an adult cell, and the media ran with the news—sometimes turning fact into fiction or folly. Understandably, misconceptions, fears and false impressions of cloning grew out of untruthful or exaggerated reports. Many of the wild speculations have been countered, according to Stroud, who thinks education is the key to acceptance.

“Since Dolly, there have been roughly a dozen other animal species cloned, so the release of a newly cloned species isn’t that big of news anymore,” Stroud said. “The general fear of animal cloning—I won’t say it is over, but I think it has largely been addressed.”

An example of unfounded speculation was the rumor that clones had a compromised longevity factor. That stemmed from Dolly’s untimely death at the age of 6-and-a-half years, when she was euthanized because of complications from arthritis and respiratory problems.

“Dolly did die earlier than the average Dorset sheep that has a lifespan of 10 to 12 years,” Stroud acknowledged. “What is not (widely) known is that they cloned more copies—possibly a half dozen—of Dolly, and those animals are still alive, healthy and doing fine. ViaGen actually bought those animals, to keep them alive, just to let them live a full life.”

ViaGen specializes in advanced livestock technologies and has cloned more animals from a broader range of species than anyone else in the field. Their scientists include Dr. Irina Polejaeva, who was involved with the production of Dolly and is the company’s chief scientific officer.

“The process of cloning is state-of-the-art reproductive technology, one that allows the breeder to preserve genetics and expand the reproductive potentials of their superior animals,” Polejaeva said.

ViaGen is currently the only entity outside of Australia and New Zealand with the rights to the cloning technology licensed from the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, Scotland. As a subsidiary of Exeter Life Sciences, Phoenix, Ariz., ViaGen currently provides commercial cloning services for horses, cattle and pigs.

ViaGen also does gene banking. The process of taking a biopsy from a donor horse and preserving those cells in a frozen state for future use is a precloning option for breeders to preserve genetics beyond the normal life of an animal.

Cutting Edge Clones: Genetic Reflections

Not to differ with anyone..But thats just me.Cloning was formatted in the early stages so perhaps there could become a viable source of organs for transplant in human beings.But as usual..politics will prevail and money.The organs will go to the rich.Cloning is a viable test study in the works for humans not animals.People will of course will still want to see animals..species to survive.What a zoo!!How unfortunate that people do not recognise that they are already in a zoo.Candace

"Nope I wouldnt nor would I want my head cut off and stored in deep freeze to preserve the brain."

What if "nature" gave you one to spare? Nature can be cruel as well...

Baby boy "Kiron", born August 25, 2008 with two heads in S.W. Bangladesh...

"He has one stomach and he is eating normally with his two mouths. He has one genital organ and a full set of limbs. He was born from one embryo but there was a developmental anomaly."

Poor Kiran.In ref to what I said earlier.There are some people that have been for many yrs..decades disposing of their body and having their heads stored for future purposes..The rich do this.I am not one of them.The abnormality..God Bless Kiran!! has been happening over the past few decades not only in human babies that are born but as well as animals.Gods nature has not done this.No matter the geographical are  on this earth.There are cases like Kiran.I hate to say the word case.My feelings of mans hands poisoning the land and he earth and the air have a big contribution...which goes down to water source and food.As we go day to day..we are clouded by what is said and reported.It is a fact that when the nuclear testing went on in Nevada(USA) The wind shift went to the N.E. USA.The cancers and mutations of those born were hidden.I can only imagine what has been going on in Bangladesh and surrounding areas over the yrs.Thank you.Candace