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My two cents . . the kind of cloning used for Dolly has to do with an egg that is cleared of it genetic information(instructions for traits and such). Then genetic info from an adult (in this case, whatever sheep Dolly is a clone of) is inserted into the empty egg and ultimately implanted into a uterus. (If you've ever seen this insertion (of genetic materials) procedure on television it is amazing). That way, an exact genetic duplicate is produced from the genetic material substitute (not the instructions that were in the original egg). Of course, what I talk about in the next paragraph of this message would explain why the adult clone might have some unpredicted problems (didn't Dolly have age related arthritis?). From what I have read in various magazines, the real dilemma is the next step for anyone hoping to use stem cells to replace cells that are no longer doing their job (as in PD) is cracking the mystery of how the different instructions that seem to come at certain chronological ages during the development of an organism are turned on and off. In other words, a lot of hoopla has surrounded the mapping of the human genome with little discussion about what has to be learned in order to put that info into practice. I read that DNA turning into RNA does not happen the same way each time. Rather, the protein messengers in the RNA constantly rearrange themselves and even fold on occasion. I guess it is an okay thing to inject stem cells into a PD sufferer without knowing why and how they work. But it seems like I heard that in one instance, the stem cells got to work in a PD patient's brain, but they couldn't be "shut off" . I know that in other fields, like psychotropic drugs, the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors are effective but no one knows why. They have drawn pictures of specific receptors can only be filled by a specific transmitter thingy, but that is a known concept into which we have tried to explain a process we cannot observe (the concept being the key and the lock). A lot of stuff to consider. I hope anyone seeing any big holes (or little) in what I have offered up here will let me know. A little info in the mind of a liberal arts graduate is truly a dangerous thing. Jann ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn