Genetics

Genetics

Cloning
1. Dolly the sheep- first mamal to be cloned, 277 attempts, cell from 6y/o sheep, injected cell into unfetilised egg from different sheep and fused, then implanted after a week into another sheep.
  1. Dolly mated and produced normal offspring but suffered with arthritis and lung tumor so was euthanised at 6.5 y/o average age of sheep =12
2. Strengths
  1. may allow us to clone organs for transplant
  2. may enable to save species from dying out
  3. may be able to clone food and stop starvation
  4. scientists believe childless couple will be able to have child (clone)
3. Weaknesses
  1. scientists may have God complex
  2. took nearly 300 attempts to create Dolly, wouldn't be acceptable for humans
  3. clone seen as property of parents or person in own right?
  4. Dolly only lived half normal life, would this be acceptable for humans?
  5. may lead to complicated family relations e.g. wife gives birth to clone of husband is her brother in law
Stem Cell Research
1. Toti-potent- early embryo cells can become any body cell
2. Pluri-potent- adults stem cells can become various cells but not all
3. Adult stem cells can be taken from adult, child or placenta without harm. cells from embryo destroys the embryo
  1. hope stem cells can be used to cure diseases like Parkinson's, cancer and possibly spinal chord injuroes
4. Lancet (2006)- patients own cells had been used to grow and replace bladders in children suffering from Spina Bifida. Not stem cells but more specialised cells can only grow into bladders. was successful and improved quality of life.
  1. anti-rejection drugs not needed as was own cells
5. Issues
  1. say it's not necessary to use embryonic stem cells as they can cause cancer
  2. adult stem cells can be found in umbilical chord blood and placenta blood as well as other organs. so why use embryonic and destroy?
  3. Adult stem cells have been successful whereas embryonic is still theoretical, benefits are years away. adult stem cells overcome immune rejction
  4. with animal rights issues and problem with testing adults looks like embryonic will be used more for pharmaceutical testing. is this ethical?
Genetically Modified Crops
1. plant used in agriculture, the DNA has been modified using genetic engineering techniques
  1. e.g. insect resistant technology in cotton and corn to increase yield from reduced pest damage, half of cotton in China (2002) was toxic to cotton bollworm due to GM, so reduced use of pesticides
2. Strengths
  1. can potentially produce higher crop yields
  2. reduces need for pesticides and herbicides
  3. improved food quality
  4. can withstand weather fluctuations
  5. allow food to contain more vitamins for health
  6. can eradicate some crop diseases
3. Weaknesses
  1. as all crops have same DNA if different disease comes it'll wipe out whole crop
  2. unknown health effects
  3. may trigger allergies if taken from foods with allergens, or create new allergies
  4. removing a pest removes food for another organism
  5. due to pollination, GM crops may find way to organic farms
  6. not natural- may effect environment and wildlife
  7. may not be successful

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	Created by Hannah Grinnall almost 8 years ago