Is it easier to clone an animal than it is to clone a plant?

Answer 1

Plants are already adapted to either sexual or asexual reproduction (asexual reproduction in the case of plants is called vegetative propagation) and it is not unusual for plants to create clones of themselves, therefore it is not difficult to get this to happen in the laboratory, whereas animals are not adapted to asexual reproduction, and do not normally produce clones.

Answer 2

Because plants have many more stem cells, not only at meristems, regions of growth where unspecialised cells are actively dividing, but all through the plant. Adult cells easily revert to stem cells in plant culture, so a very small explant can be encouraged in agar medium to start to grow into a callus (undifferentiated ball of plant cells). We have learnt what combination of mineral ions and Plant Growth Regulators have to be added to the nutrient agar to make the transplanted callus start to develop roots, shoots and leaves.

Animals have fewer adult stem cells, and when fully differentiated, are more difficult to revert back to stem cells. Few of them will actively divide in culture, in vitro.

Answer 3

No. Plants can be cloned by snipping off a small part and placing the cut end in a root-stimulating agent. This end is then planted in some soil. This leads to two plants which are genetically identical.