therapeutic cloning: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Academic, Medical, Scientific
Quick answer
What does “therapeutic cloning” mean?
The production of embryonic stem cells from a patient's own DNA for medical treatment or research, with no intention to create a human being.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The production of embryonic stem cells from a patient's own DNA for medical treatment or research, with no intention to create a human being.
A type of cloning technology used in biomedical research, where a patient's somatic cell nucleus is transferred into an enucleated egg cell to create a blastocyst from which genetically matched embryonic stem cells can be harvested. These cells are used to study diseases, develop drugs, or potentially generate tissues for transplantation without immune rejection.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or spelling differences. Usage patterns are identical across both varieties, confined to scientific, bioethical, and policy discourse.
Connotations
Carries the same strong ethical and scientific connotations in both regions, often appearing in debates about embryo research and stem cell regulation.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency and specialised in both UK and US contexts. Slightly more common in public discourse in the UK during the early 2000s due to specific parliamentary debates and legislation.
Grammar
How to Use “therapeutic cloning” in a Sentence
[Therapeutic cloning] + [of + tissue/organ][Scientists] + [are researching] + [therapeutic cloning] + [for + disease]The [goal/aim] + [of therapeutic cloning] + [is] + [to generate/investigate...]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “therapeutic cloning” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The team aims to therapeutically clone cells to study motor neurone disease.
- The process of therapeutically cloning human cells is strictly regulated.
American English
- Researchers are attempting to therapeutically clone patient-specific stem cells.
- The bill prohibits therapeutically cloning human embryos for any purpose.
adverb
British English
- [The phrase is not used as an adverb. The adverbial form would be 'therapeutically,' as in the verb examples.]
American English
- [The phrase is not used as an adverb. The adverbial form would be 'therapeutically,' as in the verb examples.]
adjective
British English
- The therapeutic cloning technique offers hope for personalised medicine.
- They published a paper on therapeutic cloning applications.
American English
- The therapeutic cloning research was funded by a federal grant.
- He is an expert in therapeutic cloning protocols.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. May appear in biotech investment reports or pharmaceutical R&D discussions.
Academic
Primary context. Used in biology, medicine, bioethics, and law journals and textbooks.
Everyday
Very rare. Might appear in simplified news reports on medical breakthroughs or ethical controversies.
Technical
Core context. Standard term in genetics, stem cell research, and regenerative medicine.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “therapeutic cloning”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “therapeutic cloning”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “therapeutic cloning”
- Confusing it with 'reproductive cloning.'
- Using 'therapeutic cloning' to refer to cloning entire organs for transplant (it refers to creating stem cells, not whole organs).
- Misspelling as 'therapeutical cloning.'
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, they are fundamentally different. Therapeutic cloning creates embryos to harvest stem cells for research or therapy, with no intent to implant them in a womb. Reproductive cloning aims to implant a cloned embryo to create a live-born organism.
Not yet for direct transplantation. It is primarily a research tool used to create disease models (e.g., for diabetes or ALS) and to study early development. Clinical applications are still in the experimental stage.
Controversy stems from the fact it involves creating and subsequently destroying a human embryo for research, which some ethical and religious frameworks consider the destruction of a potential human life.
A major advantage is that the derived stem cells are genetically identical to the patient's cells, which means tissues grown from them would not be rejected by the patient's immune system, avoiding the need for immunosuppressant drugs.
The production of embryonic stem cells from a patient's own DNA for medical treatment or research, with no intention to create a human being.
Therapeutic cloning is usually academic, medical, scientific in register.
Therapeutic cloning: in British English it is pronounced /ˌθɛrəˈpjuːtɪk ˈkləʊnɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌθɛrəˈpjuːt̬ɪk ˈkloʊnɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Not an idiomatic phrase. This is a technical compound noun.]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'Therapy' + 'Cloning' = Cloning for therapy, not for making a twin.
Conceptual Metaphor
CLONING IS A MEDICAL TOOL (a conceptual tool in the medical toolbox).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary goal of therapeutic cloning?