BIO 103 Chapter Notes - Chapter 7: Severe Combined Immunodeficiency, Germ Cell, Genetic Engineering
17 Dec 2017
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Genetic research being applied in new ways to help diagnose health issues. Will soon be possible to correct health issues by altering genes: known as gene therapy. Can also use viruses to help treat certain illnesses: copies of corrected gene inserted into virus, when inserts dna into cells, inserts the corrected gene to take over cells. Severe combined immunodeficiency (scid) - body fails to produce particular enzyme: can"t make special blood cells that resist infection. Limitations of gene therapy: medical problems that don"t have genetic cause, disorders that involve actions of many genes. Germ-line therapy - treatment that could change genes you pass on to your children. Germ cells - special cells that divide to form eggs and sperm. Child would be spared certain genetic problems that would otherwise occur. Could possibly remove disorder from family tree. Genetic engineering has helped incr supply of medical prod and lower costs. New drugs created, pure drugs that don"t carry disease.
