What is the process of therapeutic cloning?

Therapeutic cloning, also known as somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), is the process of producing stem cells that are a genetic match to a patient, for use in therapy. First, the nucleus of a donor egg cell (oocyte) is removed and discarded. Then, the nucleus from a patient's body (somatic) cell is extracted and transferred into the denucleated egg cell. This is then stimulated to divide and cultured for 4-5 days, whereafter stem cells may be removed. These stem cells may also be cultured into specialised cells that can be transplanted into the patient without running the risk of rejection.