Genetic engineering

Table of contents Humans - Stem cell research - Cloning (therapeutic and reproductive) and its problems - Saviour siblings Food and drinks - Genetically modified (GM) food - Designer food/drinks

Humans

Stem cell research Stem cells can develop into any type of cell in the human body Capability to reproduce themselves many times over 2 types of stem cells: embryonic and adult

Adult stem cells Occur in heart, brain, lungs, bone marrow, etc. More limited & harder to find than embryonic stem cells → Consequence: Scientists prefer embryonic stem cells

Embryonic stem cells Easier to find than adult stem cells Come from a normal (not cloned) embryo or a therapeutic cloned embryo, age : 3-5 days → Embryos are killed after the intervention → Ethical problems

Cloning 2 types of cloning: therapeutic and reproductive Therapeutic cloning - Nucleus is removed from the egg - Then replaced by a donor's nucleus → Stem cells carry the donor's DNA

Cloning Reproductive cloning - Embryo is allowed to grow - Then implanted into a woman's womb → woman gives birth to cloned embryo - Already worked out for several animals (famous example: Dolly the Sheep) - In most countries it is forbidden due to ethical problems

Problems with cloning Ethical problems - Can we accept that embryos/ cloned humans die (for stem cells/ because of their impairments)? - When is a human a human? - In how far are we allowed to have a severe influence in nature? (playing God) Mental problems for cloned humans - Am I a real human being? - Do I have the same value?

Saviour siblings Humans that are specifically created to help a sibling - Eggs from the mother are fertilised to produce embryos → Embryos are analysed → Only healthy embryos are injected into the uterus → Mother gives birth to genetically healthy baby → Baby's blood and other essential cells can be given to sick child

Food and drinks

Genetically Modified (GM) food What is GM food? - Food having foreign genes inserted into teir genetic codes → selective breeding → particular characteristics are made more common or pronounced (e.g shape, colour)

Genetically Modified (GM) food Where is GM food common? - USA: ca. 58 million hectares full of biotech corps (e.g. soybean, maize, cotton, etc.) - India: ca. 6 million hectares full of cotton ↔ - Germany: less than 0.1 million hectares of maize

Genetically Modified (GM) food How do people think about GM food? - In the USA, less people oppose the introduction of GM food by time (2002 - 2006) - Support concerning GM food descreased from 1996 until 2005 - Spain: Decrease of 6% (from 80% to 74%) - Germany: Decrease of 26% (from 56% to 30%)

Designer food/ drinks Food supplements based on vitamins, minerals and proteins In the future, you may select your individual vitamins, minerals and proteins With the help of nanotechnology the ingredients you chose are unfolded in the drink/ food

Questions?