Stem Cells Cloning

-scientists have cloned stem cells from human skin and egg cells. This is significant because the process could eventually be used to produce organs or other parts that are genetically identical to the patient's own, and therefore, pose no risk of rejection when transplanted.

Stem cells are primitive, unspecialized cells. A 5-day-old human embryo, called a blastocyst, contains an inner cell mass composed of about 12 embryonic stem cells.

Cloning can be used to produce a supply of unspecialized stem cells that can be induced to grow into various types of body cells.

The stem cells can be induced to differentiate into different types of cells as needed (heart, nerve, muscle, etc.). These cells are genetically identical to the patient's own cells (that is, they are cloned).