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Biotechnology & the Human Body . Genetic Disorders. A genetic disease is caused by a genetic defect in a person’s DNA. These defects are caused by mutations. There are more than 3000 known genetic disorders. . Genetic Disorders Continued….
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Genetic Disorders • A genetic disease is caused by a genetic defect in a person’s DNA. • These defects are caused by mutations. • There are more than 3000 known genetic disorders.
Genetic Disorders Continued… • Genetic Screening: is the process of identifying human genetic conditions by examining the genes in an individual cell.
Genetic Disorders Continued… • Several genetic disorders can be identified by looking at a highly magnified image of a person’s chromosomes. This is one form of genetic screening. • Karyotype: is when a picture of a cell’s chromosomes is taken. This picture would then be studied.
Gene Therapy • Scientists can now go into cells and replace defective genes with healthy ones. This process is called gene therapy. • This can be achieved through several methods.
Gene Therapy: One Method • Use an altered virus. Viruses attach to outer cell membranes and inject their own DNA into the cell. The viral DNA uses the house cell to make copies of itself. • In this case, scientist insert the healthy gene into the viral DNA and let the DNA do the rest.
Prevention of Inheritance • In some cases, scientists are able to avoid the passing on of genetic diseases from parents to offspring. • In order to do so they must locate and alter the parents sex cells. This comes with many risks as well as ethical and religious issues.
Genome • All of the genes found in a complete set of chromosomes is called a genome. • There are 100 000 genes found in one set of 23 human chromosomes.
Making Human Proteins • It’s a difficult task to replace defective missing genes. • An alternative is to engineer bacteria to produce what the gene would be producing. This is not always possible.
Insulin • People with diabetes can’t produce insulin which is needed to control sugar levels in our blood. • In the past diabetes was treated with insulin taken from cows or pigs. Some patients experienced allergic reactions.
Insulin Continued… • In 1978, the human gene for making insulin was transferred into bacteria. • This is beneficial because it is human insulin so there will be no allergic reactions. • Also beneficial because bacteria multiply really fast and are therefore able to produce large amounts of insulin easily.
