Cloning an organ would start with one cell. SCNT would be
used. In SCNT, a scientist takes a tiny needle. They pull out the cell’s
nucleus
. They place it in a mother’s egg cell. The changed egg cell
is shocked. This is done with electricity or special chemicals. The
cell begins dividing. Each new cell is a clone. These clones are
stem
cells
. Stem cells are unique. They can turn into any of the 200 kinds of
human cells. This includes organ cells.
Once there are about 150 stem cells, they can be taken out.
Scientists are on their way to growing organs from this kind of stem
cell. The organ would form from a clone of the original cell. The
patient’s body would accept it as its own.
Stem cells are 12 to 13 micrometers
across. That’s slightly smaller than
a thin strand of human hair.
nucleus
: the center of a cell, which contains genetic material
stem cell
: a simple cell that can become any type of specialized cell, such as a
blood cell or a skin cell
8
STEM
BODY
