homosexuals would have an obligation to producegay children through cloning. Lesbians would have the chance to give birth with nomale involved at all; one woman could contribute the ovum, the other the DNA. It might lead to an understanding of the mechanisms by which a morula (a mass ofcells that has developed from a blastula) attaches itself to the wall of the uterus. Thismight generate new, effective contraceptives that exhibit very few side effects. The rapid growth of the human morula is similar to the rate at which cancer cellspropagate. Cancer researchers believe that if a method is found to stop the division ofa human ovum then a technique for terminating the growth of a cancer might befound. Treatments for damage to the brain or nervous system might be possible due tocloning. Damaged nerve tissue in adults does not regenerate on its own. However,stem cells might be capable of repairing the tissue. Because of the large number ofstem cells required, human embryo cloning would be required. Much of nervousstudies is related to Parkinson's disease. Therapeutic cloning involves embryonicstem cells. Those cells have not developed to have a specific function, so researcherscan develop tailor made tissue to replace dead or diseased cells with new healthycells. Parents who are known to be at risk of passing a genetic defect to a child could makeuse of cloning. A fertilized ovum could be cloned, and the duplicate tested for thedisease or disorder. If the clone was free of genetic defects, then the other clonewould be as well. The latter could be implanted in the woman and allowed to matureto term. For example, a number of disorders, including some affecting the eyes, brain,and muscles, are (at least partially) caused by flawed genes located in themitochondria, energy-producing structures in the cytoplasm. If a woman were tocarry a gene for one of these disorders, she could conceive a healthy child by havingthe nucleus of one of her ...
