Cloning
Cloning makes genetically identical copies.
About this topic
A clone is a genetically identical copy. Natural clones include identical twins and asexual reproduction. Artificial methods: plant cuttings and tissue culture, and animal cloning by somatic cell nuclear transfer, in which the nucleus of a body cell is placed in an egg with its nucleus removed, then grown into an embryo.
Dolly the sheep, born in 1996, was the first mammal cloned from an adult cell. Scientists took a nucleus from a udder cell of one sheep, put it into an egg cell with its nucleus removed from a second sheep, stimulated it to divide with an electric pulse, and placed the embryo in a surrogate mother. Dolly was genetically identical to the donor.
Cloning has uses: copying prize livestock, saving endangered species, producing animals for medical research and growing plants quickly through tissue culture, where tiny pieces of plant grow on nutrient agar with hormones. Orchids and bananas are mass-produced this way. Therapeutic cloning could produce matching tissue for transplants.
Disadvantages are low success rates, health problems and reduced genetic variation. Clones are not exact in behaviour, since environment also matters. A misconception is that cloning makes an instant adult; the clone begins as an embryo.
Key ideas
- Dolly the sheep
- Somatic cell nuclear transfer
- Plants clone easily
Quick check
Use cases: where Cloning helps
- Homework: review the key idea behind Cloning before you start a problem set.
- Exam revision: use the quick check to test whether you can recall Cloning without notes.
- Visual learning: play with the interactive lab to see how Cloning changes when you adjust its inputs.
- Teaching a friend: explain Cloning in your own words, then compare your version with the key ideas.
Biology underpins medicine, farming, conservation and biotechnology.
Frequently asked questions
What is Cloning?
Cloning makes genetically identical copies.
What will I learn in Cloning?
Dolly the sheep. Somatic cell nuclear transfer. Plants clone easily.
Is Cloning part of Biology?
Yes. It is one of 150 Biology topics on LearnViz HighSchoolEdu, with 3 key ideas, a live animation and a quick check.
Does the Cloning lab work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The animation resizes to fit your screen and supports touch, so you can drag, tap and slide with your finger.
How should I study Cloning?
Read the summary and key ideas first, play with the interactive lab to see the idea in motion, then answer the quick check. If you get a question wrong, go back to the key idea it tests.
Do I need an account, and is my progress saved?
No account is needed. Marking a topic as learned is saved in your own browser, so it stays on that device and is not sent to a server.