Final answer:
Reproductive cloning through somatic cell nuclear transfer involves taking a somatic cell from an adult animal, replacing the egg cell’s nucleus with the somatic cell's nucleus, and stimulating the egg to divide and develop into a clone of the donor.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process you are describing is known as reproductive cloning, which is a type of biotechnology that involves creating a genetically identical copy of an adult animal. This is achieved through a method called somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). In SCNT, a somatic cell, which is any cell in the body other than a sperm or egg cell, is taken from an adult donor, and the nucleus is extracted. Then, the donor nucleus is inserted into an enucleated egg cell (an egg cell from which the nucleus has been removed). This engineered egg is then stimulated to divide, eventually growing into an identical twin of the donor.
This technique has been used to clone several animals, including the famous sheep named Dolly. It involves meticulous procedures and often requires multiple attempts before successful cloning is achieved. Reproductive cloning has the potential for various applications, including preserving endangered species or producing animals for medical research.