Therapeutic Cloning and Plant Stem Cells
Therapeutic cloning represents cutting-edge medicine where scientists create an embryo with identical genes to the patient. This means the stem cells won't be rejected by the patient's immune system when transplanted.
These cloned stem cells can potentially treat conditions like diabetes or paralysis by replacing damaged or non-functioning cells. The personalised approach eliminates rejection problems that plague traditional transplants.
However, ethical concerns surround this technique since embryos are destroyed in the process and cannot give consent. Different people hold varying religious and moral views about this practice.
Plant stem cells work differently - they're found in meristem tissue within roots and buds. Unlike human stem cells, plant stem cells remain active throughout the plant's entire life, constantly producing new tissue.
Scientists use plant stem cells to clone rare plants and prevent extinctions, or to create identical crop plants for farmers seeking consistent harvests.
Fascinating Fact: Plant stem cells never "retire" - they keep working for the plant's entire lifespan, whether that's months or hundreds of years!