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 neurons-curb-obesit.html. neurons-curb-obesit.html Simm, G. (n.d.). Genetic modification of farm animals [Online forum comment]. Retrieved from _animals/. _animals/ Kaplan, Mellisa. (2010). U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Fact sheet genetically modified animals. Retrieved from website: ing/GeneticallyEngineeredAnimals/ucm htm. ing/GeneticallyEngineeredAnimals/ucm htm Vodopich, S. (2011). Biology laboratory manual. (9 ed., p. 171). New York, NY: McGrw- Hill Companies, Inc.