The Revolutionary Progress of Cloning: From Dolly to 2025

GS Paper III: Science and Technology

Cloning After Dolly: Progress from 1996 to 2025

1. The Beginning – Dolly the Sheep (1996)

In 1996, scientists at the Roslin Institute in Scotland achieved a milestone by cloning Dolly, the first mammal produced from an adult somatic cell. The technique used, known as Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT), involved removing the nucleus of an unfertilised egg and replacing it with the nucleus of an adult mammary cell. This experiment proved that the DNA of a mature cell could recreate an entire organism — a discovery that revolutionised biology, genetics, and biotechnology.

2. Advances in Animal Cloning

After Dolly, the SCNT technique was refined and applied to several other mammals such as cows, goats, pigs, horses, cats, and dogs. Each success advanced understanding of cellular reprogramming and cloning efficiency.

Key Milestones:

• 2000s: Livestock cloning became commercially viable, especially for elite breeding and dairy animals.
• 2005: South Korea cloned the first dog, “Snuppy.”
• 2018: Chinese scientists cloned two monkeys, “Zhong Zhong” and “Hua Hua,” marking the first successful cloning of primates — genetically closer to humans.
• 2020s: Biotech companies began cloning pets, racehorses, and endangered species like the Przewalski’s horse.

3. Link to Stem Cell Research

Cloning directly inspired breakthroughs in stem cell science. In 2006, Shinya Yamanaka discovered Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) — adult cells reprogrammed to behave like embryonic stem cells. This innovation eliminated the need for embryos in research, reducing ethical concerns and opening new pathways in regenerative medicine, disease modelling, and personalised therapy.

4. Therapeutic and Biotechnological Uses

Medical Research: Cloning and iPSC technologies are now used to grow tissues for transplantation, test drugs, and study genetic disorders.

Gene Editing: Combining CRISPR with cloning enables the creation of genetically modified animals — such as pigs engineered for human organ transplant research.

Agriculture: Cloned livestock replicate high-yield and disease-resistant animals, ensuring consistent productivity and improved food quality.

Conservation: Cloning helps preserve endangered species. Notable examples include the black-footed ferret (2021) and the Arctic wolf (2022).

5. Challenges and Ethical Concerns

Despite major advancements, cloning faces scientific and moral challenges:

• Low Success Rate: Only a fraction of cloned embryos survive to term, and many suffer developmental abnormalities.
• Epigenetic Errors: Incomplete reprogramming of donor DNA leads to irregular gene expression.
• Ethical Debate: Cloning of primates or humans raises questions of identity, individuality, and exploitation.
• Legal Restrictions: Most countries, including India, prohibit human reproductive cloning, though therapeutic research under regulation is allowed.

6. Present Status (As of 2025)

By 2025, cloning has become a refined scientific practice widely applied in biomedicine, livestock breeding, and wildlife conservation. Private firms offer pet cloning services, while global research focuses on producing genetically compatible animal organs for human transplantation. Artificial intelligence now assists in embryo selection to improve success rates. However, human reproductive cloning remains globally prohibited under strict ethical and legal frameworks.

7. Implications for India

India has made significant advances in cloning research through the National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) and ICAR laboratories. The cloning of elite bulls, buffaloes, and endangered species supports dairy productivity and biodiversity conservation. Indian policy continues to prioritise ethical oversight, safety, and public engagement while promoting biotechnology for sustainable agriculture and healthcare innovation.

Synopsis

From Dolly’s birth in 1996 to the genetic innovations of 2025, cloning has evolved from a single experiment to a multidisciplinary field spanning medicine, agriculture, and conservation. The journey illustrates both scientific triumph and ethical responsibility — reminding us that technological progress must be guided by humanity, transparency, and accountability.