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clone
genetics
Also known as: clon
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Science & Tech
- Also spelled:
- clon
clone, cell or organism that is genetically identical to the original cell or organism from which it is derived. The word clone originates from the ancient Greek klon, meaning “twig.” Many unicellular organisms, such as bacteria and yeasts, are clones of parent cells generated by either binary fission or budding. The body cells of plants and animals are clones ultimately derived from the mitosis (cell reproduction) of a single fertilized egg. More narrowly, a clone can be defined as an individual organism that was grown from a single body cell of its parent and that is genetically identical to it. ...(100 of 181 words)