NOVEMBER 2002 VOL. 62 NO. 3 - International Technology and ...

RESOURCES IN TECHNOLOGYUntil now, the key instrument usedin cloning is called the “micromanipulator,”an expensive machine that isused by a skilled technician to grab anegg cell under the microscope, insert avery fine needle to suck out itsnucleus, and then use another needleto transfer a nucleus from the animalto be cloned. This process is tricky andtime consuming, and results are somewherein the 25% range. In the newtechnique, egg cells are split in halfunder a microscope using a very thinblade. The halves are allowed to healand then a dye is introduced to identifythe halves containing the nucleus.The halves containing the nucleus arediscarded, leaving only the emptycytoplasts (the cell not containing thenucleus). To create the cloned embryo,a cell from an adult animal is fusedfirst with one cytoplast, then another,by quickly introducing an electric current(Westphal, 2002). This newmethod of cloning is much cheaperand can be performed without theneed of a skilled technician. Anotheradvantage is that this method will berelatively easy to automate, with theend result being mass produced clonedembryos. A major concern of thisevolving cloning technique is that itscheapness (the electrofusion machinecan be purchased for around $3500)will allow increased attempts athuman cloning.Benefits of CloningRecent technical developments in themethods used to produce a clone, andDr. Zavas’s announcement to clone thefirst human baby, have dramaticallyshifted the focus of the cloning debatetoward human cloning. However,ProfessionalDevelopmentOpportunitieshttp://education.nasa.gov/NEWPractice a “hands-on/minds on” instructional approach integratingscience, mathematics, technology and geography.Explore topics relating to Earth Science, Aerospace Technology, HumanExploration and Development of Space, Space Science, and Biologicaland Physical Research.Use NASA curriculum and support materials.Collaborate with colleagues to model teaching, learning, assessmentand professional development strategies called for in the science,mathematics, geography, and technological literacy standards.For information about NASA’s professional development programs, go toNationalAeronautics andSpaceAdministrationFor Science, Mathematics, Technology, Geography,and Elementary Educatorshttp://education.nasa.gov/NEWExpand yourprofofessional horizonsonswith NASA!most future cloning developments willnot concern the reproduction ofhumans, but will focus on usingcloning to better understand cell development,heredity, and genetic structure.Cloning will be used for far morethan replicating an animal or reproducinga child (Fatahalian, 1998).Researchers have said the cloning ofanimals, especially those that havebeen genetically modified, could havea number of medical, agricultural, andindustrial applications. If human geneswere introduced into animals such aspigs, cows, and sheep, these transgenicanimals would have the ability to producea wide variety of proteins andenzymes. Large numbers of transgenicanimals could produce vast quantitiesof drugs and other substances moreefficiently and at a lower cost than iscurrently possible with today’sbioengineering technology. Furtheradvances in cloning will eventuallylead to other practical applicationssuch as genetically modified animalsthat could provide organs for humantransplants, the mass production ofhealthier, more productive, diseaseresistant farm animals, more nutritiousproduce, and the development ofcrops that are disease, insect, anddrought resistant.Cloning research may also contributeto disease treatments forhumans by allowing scientists to reprogramcells. Through this research, forexample, skin cells could be reprogrammedinto the insulin producingcells in the pancreas. These skin cellswould then be introduced into thepancreas of a diabetes patient, allowinghim or her to produce insulin.Another example would be Parkinson’sdisease, a degenerative disease affectingneurons. Because neurons do notregenerate, cloning research couldallow the reprogramming of cells intoneurons to replace those damaged bythe disease (Fatahalian, 2002).Through cloning, organ transplantationmay become a more successful22THE TECHNOLOGY TEACHER • November 2002