Dolly, the cloned sheep, dies at the age of 6 (1 Viewer)

[Bruce Hedtke]

Full story can be read here.

Unfortunate, but perhaps it'll lead to more discoveries and breakthroughs in cloning technology.

Bruce

 

[andrew markworthy]

Until the full autopsy results are known, I don't think we can comment. The danger is that the anti-cloning brigade isn't waiting for the full facts (what a surprise) and a plethora of 'cloned monstrosity dies prematurely' headlines are already doing the rounds.

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

How long do sheep live normally?

 

[Jack Briggs]

On average, twelve years.

I agree, many are already jumping to negative conclusions about a technology that cannot be denied.

This thread, too, could go out of control, so let's be careful.

 

[Jason Seaver]

How old was the sheep Dolly was cloned from at the time? I was wondering if it could be the telomere thing.

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

Just for clarity, the sheep didn't die, it was killed.

Having a sample size of one isn't going to provide any concrete evidence on whether cloning is good or bad. It may provide a list of things to look into, but can hardly be considered conclusive.

 

[Philip Hamm]

She looks delicious!

 

[Andrew W]

According to the article I read, she had a virus that eventually causes lung cancer. Other (non-cloned) sheep at the research facility were also dying from it. Thus they decided to euthanize her.

 

[BrianW]

I don't know why, but this saddens me. Perhaps it's because her entire existence was dedicated to unique and pioneering service to humankind.

There can be only one first. (Cloned mammal, that is.) And Dolly was it.

 

[andrew markworthy]

I was wondering if it could be the telomere thing

The function of telomeres is not fully understood, but my reading of the evidence is that they affect *potential* longevity and proneness to certain types of cancer rather than resistance to disease (e.g. you could have telomeres that would let you live to 120, but if you got smallpox, the telomeres wouldn't save you). The evidence we have so far is that Dolly died of infection.

 

[Julie K]

It's too early to jump to conclusions. Dolly led a life far from normal for sheep. Sheep are prone to lung problems when they live indoors like Dolly did. She also seemed to like the attention she got and developed behaviors like standing on her hind legs to beg for treats.

 

[Drew Bethel]

Forgive my lack of knowledge here, but how can we benefit from cloning technology again?

 

[Cees Alons]

How old was the sheep Dolly was cloned from at the time?

I tend to think you may be close. Perhaps Dolly wasn't 6 but 12 already.

Cees

 

[Dominik Droscher]

Forgive my lack of knowledge here, but how can we benefit from cloning technology again?

Oh, there are a lot. Some example benefits just concerning the medical area are that skin for burn victims, brain cells for the brain damaged, spinal cord cells for quadriplegics and paraplegics, hearts, lungs, livers, and kidneys could be reproduced.
But there are a lot more. Being able to give more food to 3rd world countries by genitically engeneering it to fit the infertile environements is another one.

There is still always the need to control who has the technology and what is done with it. Brave New World is one great example for a society that could happen if the technology is just let loose.

 

[andrew markworthy]

Forgive my lack of knowledge here, but how can we benefit from cloning technology again?

What Dominik says is absolutely correct. Just to add a footnote, the reason there has been such controversy about the area is twofold:

(a) critics have pointed out that a lot of cloning efforts have been directed at commercial gain rather than more obviously 'humanitarian' projects. The counterargument is that initially the financial costs of cloning are very high, and early projects have had to be commercially viable to justify their existence. Later on, unit costs will start to fall as the activity becomes more widespread.

(b) there is a more general fear of a genetic hybrid carrying a deadly disease for which we have no immunity. The evidence for this, when you get past the hype, is very poor [whilst I wouldn't recommend all aspects of this book, try The Skeptical Environmentalist, which I think is fairly sound on this point].

 

[BrianW]

Forgive my lack of knowledge here, but how can we benefit from cloning technology again?

I suspect that the development of a human insulin will be one of the first, if not the first, major benefits of cloning. I expect to see this happen within my lifetime, which will be in "no time" to you young-uns.

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

Forgive my lack of knowledge here, but how can we benefit from cloning technology again?

More sheep.

 

[Tommy Ceez]

The sheep dolly was cloned from was 6.

BTW. Lucas mentioned the Clone wars in 1977 and the movies that play out the story appear now. Add that to the amazing similarities that the Republics senate shares with the current UN (Hanz Blix as the delegation sent to investigate the blockade) and maybe old GL isnt such a moron after all.

 

[Cees Alons]

The sheep dolly was cloned from was 6.

So the one cell that was Dolly when she started to grow was 6 years old already and wasn't genetically modified. Dolly died at the age of 12 therefore....

Cees

 

[Patrick Sun]

I think that's mincing words. Dolly existed on this planet for 6 years (or however long it was), regardless of her "genetic" age.