More on Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer

It a previous post I talked about Iowa legalizing somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) & the various elected officials dancing arround the truth about whether it is or isn't cloning. In his letter to me Rep. Murphy said: "I'm told by scientists at the University of Iowa that somatic cell nuclear transfer, which is what this legislation will permit, authorizes the creation of embryonic stem cell lines, which are not even close to actual embryos. They say that, without this legislation, they cannot conduct the necessary research." & Gov. Culver/Lt. Gov. Judge said in the letter I got from them: "(H)uman cloning will remain banned, period. Stem cell research is not about creating lives"." To hear them talk SCNT isn't cloning & it doesn't create human life.

Given that the pro-abortion folks deny that the embryo is human life then to them that statement about not creating human life is correct. In their mind it isn't, theoretically. Deep down they know it is, & they used all kinds of twisted, sick, perverted (il)logic to justify their stand. So, I guessd that if they take this route then it is just as easy for them to use the same means to deny that SCNT is cloning. The trouble is, SCNT is considered cloning. & even if it is for the purpose of harvesting stem cells, what it creates is an embryo & thus life.

I decided to do a web search (using ProLife Search) to see what some other sites defines SCNT & came up with more evidence that show that this is about creating human life, creating it so that it can be used for medical experiments, an evil rivaled in my mind only by what Nazi doctors did in the prison camps before & during WW II.

So, what did I find. The 1st site I came up with was that of The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). This is what they had for their definition of SCNT:

"Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (Therapeutic Cloning)

Cloning is the creation of multiple copies of a single molecule, cell, or virus. There are many different kinds of cloning, most of which are now commonplace in science. . . . .

Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) or therapeutic cloning involves removing the nucleus of an unfertilized egg cell, replacing it with the material from the nucleus of a "somatic cell" (a skin, heart, or nerve cell, for example), and stimulating this cell to begin dividing. Once the cell begins dividing, stem cells can be extracted 5-6 days later and used for research. The AAMC supports on-going research into SCNT and has endorsed legislation that would allow such research to flourish.

Reproductive cloning, on the other hand, is intended to create human beings by cloning human embryos."

I have a few comments on this, 1st of all this group, which includes the University of Iowa Medical School as a member, clearly defines SCNT as a form of cloning. 2ndly, it says the cells are harvested 5-6 days later. That is the time when the blastocyst (zygote) is usually emplanted in the uterus. Do, I have to paint the picture any clearer. Remember what I said the scientific definition of a blastocyst was in the other post, an early stage embryo. The source of the time line info was the entry for blastocyst on the MedLine Medical Encyclopedia. It gives 3 alternate names for blastocyst: zygote, embryo, & fetus. Yet, Rep Murphy claims that what is created is "not even close to actual embryos"? & if you believe that an embryo a human life this proves Culver/Judge's claim that this research " is not about creating lives" is a lie also.

As an aside, I find it interesting that they define reproductive cloning is about cloning human embryos making it sound like they are merely making copies of embryos not using adult cells to make a copy of an adult.

Next, lets go to the National Center for Biotechnical Information (NCBI) & see what are some of the articles it cites on its PubMed (a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine & the National Institutes of Health) about SCNT. (Title & part of the descrition of the article)

Somatic cell nuclear transfer - Cloning by nuclear transfer from adult somatic cells is a remarkable demonstration of developmental plasticity.

Cloning by somatic cell nuclear transfer - The birth of the first cloned mammals

Cloned pigs produced by nuclear transfer from adult somatic cells - Since the first report of live mammals produced by nuclear transfer

& on, & on, & on.

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) has an article available to read on the internet titled Human somatic cell nuclear transfer. (cloning). Answers.com has the following (taken from Wikipedia) for its definition of SCNT: "In genetics and developmental biology, somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is a technique for creating an ovum with a donor nucleus (see process below) . It can be used in embryonic stem cell research, or in regenerative medicine where it is sometimes referred to "therapeutic cloning." It can also be used as the first step in the process of reproductive cloning." Stem Cell Research - Singapore has an article on its site entitled SOMATIC CELL NUCLEAR TRANSFER (CLONING) - SCIENCE . Even the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation admits on its site (Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer: SCNT 101) that SCNT is cloning. It does justify theraputic cloning like so many others do as being OK.

I could go on & on, but I think that is enough to belie any claims that SCNT isn't cloning.

As a final comment, I want to go back to the fact that the AAMC endorses legislation that allows SCNT & the fact that U of I Medical School is a member of the orginization. remember that Rep. Murphy said: "I'm told by scientists at he University of Iowa that somatic cell nuclear transfer, which is what this legislation will permit, authorizes the creation of embryonic stem cell lines, which are not even close to actual embryos.

They say that, without this legislation, they cannot conduct the necessary research." etc.

Do you think that maybe there is a conflict of interest there with the U of I scientists? That their testimony is biased? That is is slanted out of a motivation to get passed something they want? & to do so they not only slant it, they out & out lie? Or at best give Rep. Murphy the lies he needs to hide behide to justify his supporting what he knows is cloning & creating human life?