Posted: May 22nd, 2023

A somatic cell is any cell in the animal’s body aside from the sexual gametes

In animal cloning, sexual reproduction is not required because the sperm cell is not required to produce a baby. This is why in animal cloning one can reproduce genetically identical offspring each and every time the procedure is successful (Suckow, Weisbroth, & Franklin, 2006). It is like having twins only this time the twins are not brothers or sisters but the offspring is the twin of the parent. One of the established procedures when it comes to animal cloning is a technique called Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer or SCNT. A somatic cell is any cell in the animal’s body aside from the sexual gametes. In other words, the cell that comprises the ear, the nose, bone is a somatic cell (Cibelli, 2002). The procedure calls for harvesting egg cells from the female. Afterward, a complex set of procedures and sophisticated equipment will remove the genetic material inherent in the said egg cell. When this step is completed, the DNA from a female or male donor is extracted from the donor’s body (Genetic Science Learning Center, 2010) This DNA is inserted into what remains of the altered egg cell. Upon insertion, additional procedures are conducted to induce the egg to behave as if it is a fertilized ovum. If this is successful then the egg cell with the DNA of the donor begins to multiply until it becomes a replica of the donor (Genetic Science Learning Center, 2010). However, the cloned egg will have to be reinserted into the womb of the female or allowed to grow in-vitro throughout the duration of the gestation period of the particular animal that is supposed to be cloned.