What is 'therapeutic cloning' primarily aimed at?

Therapeutic cloning is primarily aimed at producing tissues or organs for transplantation. This process involves creating an embryo using somatic cell nuclear transfer, where the nucleus from a somatic cell is inserted into an enucleated egg cell. The resulting embryo can be stimulated to develop into stem cells, which are capable of differentiating into various types of tissues or organs. These stem cells can then be used to generate compatible tissues for patients, potentially reducing the risk of rejection that often accompanies transplant procedures.

The significance of this approach lies in its potential to address the shortage of donor organs and the challenges associated with organ transplantation, such as immunologic compatibility and long waiting times for patients in need. Therapeutic cloning focuses specifically on medical applications of cloning technology, in contrast to other options, which target different areas such as agriculture, vaccine development, or enhancing immune responses.