Dolly, the sheep which created a sensation in the scientific world in 1996 is given re-birth by using her genes to create four sheep which are called “The Dollies”. All the four sheep were said to be healthy and doing well in Nottingham University, England. Dolly was created by cloning the mammary cells to produce an embryo. Dolly acquired a common lung disease at the age of 6 and then Euthanized. Dolly also had Arthritis.
Dolly was created in Roslin Institute, Scotland through a form of Cloning called Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer. Somatic cells are the cells of a plant or animal except the reproductive cells. Nuclear Transfer involves removing the DNA from an unfertilized egg and injecting the nucleus which contains the DNA to be cloned. For creating Dolly, the cell from Mammary Gland is used and injected with DNA through Microscopic Needles.
Dolly was born on 5th July 1996, but informed of its existence to the world in 1997. Dolly’s life expectancy is 11 to 12 years but was put down on 14 January 2003 because of a Lung Cancer.
Creation of Dolly sparked a Debate about the ethics and morality of Cloning and its potential use on Humans. Cloning is a seriously debated topic as it can have both positive and negative impact in the future. Some say that this technology should never be extended on Humans as it is inviting our own destruction as it would cripple our power to adaptations which will lead to acquire diseases easily. Contrastingly, the cloning technology can be used for patients needing Organ Trasplants. Cloning also offers a hope for cultivating disease resisting plants.
Cloning also created a furor among religious circles too. Catholic Church reacted very strongly and opposed all forms of cloning. A survey conducted by The Gallup Organization, Hungary in 2008 reveals that 61% of EU citizens feel that Animal Cloning was morally wrong