New Hope for Transplant Hopefuls

In light of the recent attention paid to the subject of human stem cell research, it seems appropriate to highlight the potential benefits to humans of cloning animals. In order to clone your pet, scientists have done extensive research on canine and feline physiology and the cloning process, and continue to do so. This research broadens the knowledge base on the subject of cloning animals and humans, and increases the potential for scientists to use cloning technology in the treatment of human ailments. As animal cloning technology advances, it becomes clear that medicine and humankind will benefit from advancements made.

One result of such research is the ability of scientists to perform xenotransplantation, which is transplantation from one species to another. The advancement of this process will allow scientists to grow human cells, tissues, or organs in other species and then transplant them to humans. Scientists have already been able to grow a tiny human heart in a mouse's body, and plans are underway for a cow to produce human blood to be used in transfusion. This is a significant victory for medicine. At any given time, tens of thousands of people are waiting for organ transplants in the United States alone. The ability of humans to receive organs from non-human donors would dramatically decrease that number. The same companies that will clone your pet are the ones that have made breakthroughs like this possible. The commercial funding that accompanies cloning your pet allows scientists to pursue animal cloning research.

Xenotransplantation is not the only benefit of animal cloning research. As the cloning process has been examined, scientists have learned important information about physiology, cloning, and reproduction. They have learned about programming and reproducing cells and how these processes can be used to help humans with diseases and defects. It is clear that pet cloning and the cloning process have proven to be valuable to humankind.