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Genetically Modified Animals
Genetically Modified Animals
Genetically modified animals are a part of molecular biology.
Molecular biology is the study of molecules
that are essential to life.
Genetically Modifying Animals
Is the process by which recombinant DNA is used to join a section of one animal’s DNA with another’s.
What started it all
In 1973 Stan Cohen and Herb Boyer took an antibiotic resistant gene from a frog and implanted it
into a bacterium. This produced an antibiotic resistant organism.
In 1980
There was a breakthrough in the production of
pharmaceuticals when a human gene for interferon (an
antiviral drug) was inserted into a bacterium. When the
bacterium reproduced it made billions of offspring. Now a
drug that was expensive and hard to come by was able to
be produced cheaper and in a greater quantity.
Neurons
Research is being done on mice that have been genetically altered
to not produce the hormone leptin. Without leptid the mice become obese and diabetic. A
new neuron was successfully put into the mice brains and the
connection that did not exist was formed. This could lead to the development of therapies for conditions like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and spinal injuries.
Salmon
Scientist have combined the genes of Atlantic and Pacific Chinook salmon in
order to increase the fish’s size and how quickly the
fish would reach maturity.
Cystic Fibrosis
Genes are being put into cattle and sheep that cause
them to make milk that contains proteins that people suffering from
cystic fibrosis are lacking. Therefore they can get it
through the milk.
Human Organs
Scientist are working on injecting animal embryo’s
with cells from human organs so the organ will
grown inside the animal.
Genetically modified animals can lead to the improvement of a lot of people’s lives, but this
process is very expensive which causes limitations on research. There is also the ethical factor, there
are people that believe changing something’s natural genetic make up is a abomination.
References
Miller, G. (2011, Nov. 25). Transplanted neurons curb obesity. Science Now, 334, Retrieved from http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2011/11/transplanted-neurons-curb-obesit.html .
Simm, G. (n.d.). Genetic modification of farm animals [Online forum comment]. Retrieved from http://www.bsas.org.uk/about_the_bsas/issue_papers/genetic_modification_of_farm_animals/.
Kaplan, Mellisa. (2010). U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Fact sheet genetically modified animals. Retrieved from website: http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/DevelopmentApprovalProcess/GeneticEngineering/GeneticallyEngineeredAnimals/ucm113597.htm.
Vodopich, S. (2011). Biology laboratory manual. (9 ed., p. 171). New York, NY: McGrw-Hill Companies, Inc.
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