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What is cloning?

Cloning is a scientific method of nonsexual reproduction. A clone (copy) is a group of cells derived from an original cell by fission (one cell dividing into two cells) or by mitosis (division of the cell nucleus, or core, with each chromosome splitting into two). A clone is an exact reproduction of the genetic structure (hereditary traits contained in genes) of an existing organism. Gardeners have been making clones of plants for centuries through a process called tissue culture, which involves taking cuttings of plants to make genetically identical copies. Since all the plant's cells contain the genetic information from which the entire plant can be reconstructed, the cutting can be taken from any part of the plant. After the cutting is placed in nutritious chemicals and a growth hormone, the cells divide, doubling in size every six weeks until the mass of cells produces small white globular points called embryoids....

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