Human genetic engineering is a concept thought up by innovative scientists with the hopes to better the world by manipulating human genes. Somatic cell gene therapy involves the cloning of genes and reintroducing them into cells, other than egg and sperm cells. The manipulation of genomes that take place in sperm and egg cells is known as germline gene therapy and would alter the traits that a child is born with. This type of change would be inheritable and can be passed from generation to generation. However, the biggest concern with genetic engineering is its safety. Due to the unpredictable nature of germline gene therapy errors or side effects to future generations, it is certainly serious enough to stop any consideration of germ line genetic therapy.
In modern-day research, many germline genetic modification tactics can introduce undesirable mutations that can lead to severe developmental consequences, even death (reference 1). From issues with multigene disorders to environmental hazards, there are a number of adverse side effects associated with germline gene therapy. (Figure what else to add to this paragraph)
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This can occur naturally and can make gene therapy more complicated than it already is. Depending on where the DNA is integrated, it could cause some major problems. For example, in a tumor suppressor gene, gene therapy could induce the tumor. There is evidence of this in the clinical trials for X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (X-SCID) patients. In the article by Woods (2006), it explains how “hematopoietic stem cells were transduced with a corrective transgene using a retrovirus into patients with X-SCID, and this led to the development of T cell leukemia in 3 of 20 patients” (p.g 1123). (Maybe add a little
Green briefly touches on gene therapy that aims to cure diseases in an individual. He also considers the fact that this is therapy is particularly risky and dangerous, he holds strong with his idea that, “if the disease is serious enough […] it is usually worth trying.” (pg. 56). Green then moves onto the second ‘square’ of this chapter-germline gene therapy. Green goes much more deeply into this section, mostly because this subject often
According to Matthew Mientka, “As with other genetically modified organisms, such as beets and corn, the GMO baby has the potential to eliminate many of the congenital diseases passed down through the mother’s family line”(‘Designer Babies’ Par.5). This means that offsprings developed through genetic engineering can now not be diagnosed of having diseases such as cancer,sickle Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer 's, and many more. Through a somatic cell nuclear transfer the gene of the fets can be replaced with one that is not mutated. By replacing that gene with a desired one the baby would now show characteristics of not having a given disease. According to the American Medical Association, “In cases such as cystic fibrosis or hemophilia, disease results from a mutation in a single gene.
This can lead to genetic defects, it limits genetic diversity, and it can be taken to very extreme levels. ` To start us off, genetically engineering a baby can be very unsafe for it and lead to genetic defects. Scientists don’t know everything about the human body yet, and because of this, if we end up modifying something, it could end up affecting something important that we didn’t know about. We also can’t predict the outcome of the modification yet. Scientists could be able to possibly knock out a disease out of our genetic code, but since we don’t
I want you all to imagine a world with no diseases and maybe even no cancer. Seems pretty impossible right? Well, with gene therapy that could all change. B. Background and Audience Relevance: Gene therapy is essentially using genes as drugs for the treatment of human disease. In the future, this experimental technique may allow doctors to treat a disorder by inserting a gene into a patient’s cells instead of using medicine or surgery.
Germ-line therapy allows genetic amendment to be passed down to the offspring by injecting mitochondrial DNA into a fertilised egg and has been banned in most countries. Somatic-cell therapy is similar to organ transplantation as it alters the genome of cells of individual organs or tissues and prevents passing down of modified or injected genes to the offspring. However, since genetic engineering is still in its experimenting process, much research has to be done as the negative impacts it might bring in the future is vague due to inadequate knowledge on genes. According to Gyngell (2015), editing genes may be detrimental to both the gene pool and to children. There is no guarantee that genes useful in one generation would continue to be beneficial in the next generation.
For example, in the industry of poultry, it would be possible to genetically engineer the DNA for chicken to no longer be susceptible to diseases, resulting in an increase in the ability of the industry to prosper. This would increase the productivity of this industry, but to an extent could strip the genetic variation within this species as
Beginning with the first officially sanctioned human-gene therapy trials, there have been disappointing setbacks and great breakthroughs (Donegan).The success and failure rate of germline gene therapy seems to fluctuate because it is ever changing and improving. Most often times than not it does have a higher failure rate due to unwanted side effects that are life-threatening, or it does not “cure” the defective genome. The success and failure rate is ever-changing for the fact that some countries do not allow certain germline gene therapy testing, such as for the embryo. With that in mind it is hard to pinpoint an exact number of cases that passed or failed due to restricted testing protocols in different countries. Future success and failure
Amidst constrained medical justifications regarding human germline engineering, its ethical and political risks prove inherently profound undeniably. Distinctions between germline correction of genetic health problems and germline enhancement of human prowess are inconspicuously
Another issue or condition for Gene therapy to treat psychological disorders like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder which affects 3.3 million people in the United States. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder on a serious degree can halter life. Gene therapy has also been proven to treat a blood condition called Hemophilia. Hemophilia is a medical condition that the ability of the clotting factor of blood.
The Medical Benefits of Genetic Engineering “Only 0.2% of all human DNA differs between individuals; in other words, people are 99.8% the same, and all the vast differences between people are a product of just 1/500th of the total DNA” (“Genetic Engineering”). The differences that occur because of this miniscule amount of DNA can have devastating effects as well as beneficial effects. As a result of the discovery of these differences, scientists and researchers have found a way to manipulate and apply the DNA in a way as to create revolutionary new treatments for use in the medical field. One treatment that has been discovered is gene therapy, which involves the use of gene-splicing in order to take a gene from another human or organism and
Since gene therapy is such a new and evolving study, there are many risks associated with the treatment. When the body is introduced to a new virus put in place by gene therapy, the body’s immune system may view them as intruders and attack them. If the immune system attacks these cells it could cause inflammation, and in severe cases, it could potentially cause organ failure. This is a very real possibility when patients with Down Syndrome are injected with viral vectors unfortunately, but with careful examination of the patients’ cells, organ failure could be prevented. Another risk that could potentially come along with these therapies is the possibility of causing a tumor if the new genes get placed in the wrong spot of the DNA inside the nucleus of the cells.
Gene therapy is a relatively simple concept. A faulty or defective gene which does not function properly is replaced by a fully working
Is Genetic engineering Safe? Genetic engineering is the modification of an organism’s genetic composition by artificial means, often involving the transfer of specific traits, or genes, from one organism into a plant or animal of an entirely different species. Human beings ought to consider the pros and cons of genetic engineering before using it. It is a contentious topic because people have different views of weather genetic engineering is safe or not.
During the process of human cloning when the scientists try to change the genes they will create new and undetected disease
If this prospect is a possibility, the future generations may be completely at a point of disadvantage in that they will have to suffer severely (Andrews 98). Some conditions that are easily curable now may advance as a result of attempts to adapt to the changes in the genomes and mutate into incurable conditions. If this tragedy occurs, the intentions of genetic scientists to use inheritable genetic modification as a way of curing disease may emerge as self-defeating. According to Willer (78), the chances of some diseases mutating into incurable states as a result of the attempt to adapt to the changes in human genetics are very rife. This may cost the future generations a lot in terms of finding cure of these diseases.