What is SCNT?

WHAT IS SOMATIC CELL NUCLEAR TRANSFER – SCNT?

Ø Scientists acquire embryonic stem cells from two sources–excess IVF eggs and SCNT. SCNT is a laboratory procedure that does not involve using a fertilized egg.

Ø SCNT, which has been done successfully in animals but not yet in humans, would provide an opportunity to grow a patient’s own cells for repairing or replacing his or her diseased cells.

Ø SCNT Process: The nucleus of an adult somatic cell, such as a skin or muscle cell, is placed in an enucleated (empty, unfertilized) egg, which is then stimulated to divide in a Petri dish for five to seven days. This procedure allows researchers to create stem cell lines that match a person’s DNA, so that they can study specific diseases as well as decrease the chance that the patient’s immune system will reject clinical treatments using the cells.

Ø Opponents claim SCNT will lead to human cloning, pointing out that SCNT was used to clone Dolly the Sheep. SCNT, however, is a process to grow cells, and would not develop into a complete human due to the vastly more complex makeup of human DNA and human fetal development (30% to 50% of the genes necessary for fetal development do not properly express during human SCNT.) Further, these cells would never be placed in a uterus, so they have no potential to develop into anything other than various cell types.

Ø Protection against the possibility of human cloning already exists.
Federal FDA guidelines and university and private Institutional
Review Boards (IRB’s) that grant and approve research proposals already
expressly prohibit human cloning. 
“We want to clone stem cells, not babies. SCNT doesn’t produce babies; it produces custom-made stem cells that will not be rejected by the patient’s immune
system so that we can transplant them without he need for immunosuppressant drugs. No sperm is involved, and the cells are not implanted into any womb.”

Dr.William Brinkley, Ph.D.VP and Dean, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences,
Baylor College of Medicine Baylor College of Medicine

 

“What distinguishes the opposition to embryonic stem cell research and SCNT is that it is based solely on a religious belief that life begins before implantation in the uterus. This religious concept is in opposition to the convictions of other people of faith who do not share this definition of the beginning of life, and who believe that it is their own religious obligation to discover the cures for disease, to heal the sick, to relieve suffering and to save lives.”

John Danforth, ordained Episcopal
priest and former Republican Senator from Missouri FAITH AND POLITICS 97 (2006)
The Alliance for Medical Research is an organization of scientists, physicians, health professionals, bioethicists, and educatorswho provide public education, awareness, and understanding of various and diverse sciences and research breakthroughs.To learn more about The Alliance for Medical Research or stem cell research, call 800-894-7201 or visit www.tamr-ed.org.