Somatic cell nuclear transplantation is a term commonly used in the field of genetics to refer to the process of cloning. However, there are a number of synonyms that can also be used to describe this process, including somatic cell cloning, cell nuclear transfer, and cell reprogramming. Each of these terms refers to the same basic process of taking the nucleus from a somatic cell (a non-reproductive cell) and inserting it into an egg cell that has had its own nucleus removed, thereby creating a cloned embryo. Other related terms include reproductive cloning, therapeutic cloning, and stem cell research, all of which can be used to describe various aspects of the cloning process.