Persuasive Essay On Cloning Animals

"A research team at Gyeongsang National University, headed by Kong Il-Keun, took skin cells from a Turkish Angora female cat and used a virus to insert the genetic instructions for making red fluorescent protein. Then they put the gene-altered nuclei into eggs for cloning. The cloned embryos were implanted back into the donor cat, which effectively became the surrogate mother for their own clones,” says (MSNBC.com.)
Along with cats, they have successfully administered the same glow in the dark experimented to mice, pigs, and goldfish to test the versatility of the ultraviolet marker. The success of the experiment shows that this ultraviolet marker will not only be able to track certain illnesses, otherwise killing silently, but hopefully one day be able to slow the extinction of certain wild species. The reason being is that the genetic variation of cats, mice, pigs and such have common traits, the ultraviolet maker used works best to reveal and track these traits. Therefore the possibilities of slowing the extinction of the certain species have the same or close to the same genetic traits. The glow in the dark cat is a stepping stone in modern science and medicine, opening new doors for research of human
illnesses and should not be considered a concrete movement in research for there is not enough study to be proven. Some speculate that this is cruel and is a danger to any animal. The research shows that none of the animals have been harmed because of the fluorescent protein. The glow in the dark cat is merely a side affect to a marker protein used to trace a gene of interest. That side affect which has not shown any long-term harm to the cats. According to the (Korean Times), “originally four kittens were born via caesarian section, only three of them survived after an hour of birth.” Because one of the kittens died during birth many claim that the cloned and gene altered kittens are now an issue of animal cruelty. However, the kitten that did not make it alive was not due to the fluorescent protein but to the ratio of survival of animals that are cloned and labored through caesarian section. This is proven because in other non-fluorescent gene experiments the animals have still died during birth. Also in the experiment with the mice or goldfish that both have the same procedure administered on them did not die. In many other news reports individuals are unconvinced of how the glow in the dark cats can help stop genetic diseases, they believe it will lead no where, these individuals do not see the connection. An individual who is looking into this study must look at the bigger picture. It does not end at a few cats that glow in the dark, nor did it start there. There was much thought that went into the decision of implanting the marker protein, and much hypothesis as to how this could help or hinder the future of medicine. Not to mention the knowledge of liability issues that could severely damage the future study of any research that the Gyeongsang National University conducts. Therefore theses researchers had the best interest in mind for the improvement of science, not to mention the future well being of their University.
These cats were not cloned or genetically engineered for the sake of having glow in the dark felines. (WeeklyWorldNews.com) states, "RFP is the fluorescent maker that was linked to the protein they inserted on to the nuclei of the skin cell taken from the mother cat." That maker was used to track genetic elements of interest. The ultraviolet glow was merely a side affect. That side affect has opened doors to new options in science.
(Korena.net) states that, "The ability to manipulate the fluorescent protein through cloned cats, opens new horizons for artificially creating animals with human illnesses linked to genetic causes,' a government official said. This, he said, can speed up efforts to find treatment and drugs by allowing scientists to study animals and conduct experiments that are not possible with human patients."
The reason that animals are being inserted with human genetic illnesses is because the government will not allow scientists to clone humans and use them in such dangerous studies, choosing animals is a solution that will benefit most individuals.
Some may say that this is another way that animals are being treated unjustly, but these studies and experimentations will improve the longevity of a lot of animals that this generations grandchildren will have to read about in books. “ This astounding mistake will bring new heights to the study of prevention of endangered species, every step starts with a stumble. This protein is used as a highlighter, tracing the gene of choice, if this procedure is perfected it will bring forth a prevention of tragedy”
(txdaily.gov)
Having an understanding of the various medical possibilities this new procedure has opened new hope for genetic disease study and prevention. Although, this find is fairly new and is still in laboring stages of new research, there is no concrete evidence that the research will indeed do anything to treat genetic diseases. However, the possibilities have not been exhausted. (Telegraph.co.gov) said “Kong said that cloning cats with the same diseases as humans could speed up efforts to find treatment and drugs by allowing scientists to study animals and conduct experiments that are not possible with human patients.” The key word here is could, Kong does not give a for sure statement. He gives great room for possibility, which defines the purpose of the glow in the dark cat in and of its self.