Gene Therapy to treat diseases

admin    Gene Therapy, What is Germ Line    

The use of genes to fix genes, the basic codes of heredity carried by chromosomes, in therapeutic techniques engineered to fix faulty genes that would develop into disease is one of the marvels of modern science. The technique is simply one of replacement. A non defective gene is put into the same spot to replace a defective gene. A gene that is defective or appears to be abnormal can actually be exchanged for a gene that is normal.

A third method involves trying to fix the defective gene if it is still living by using reverse mutation processes and actually going into the defective gene for repairs.

The three processes used in gene therapy are one, to add a normal gene next to a defective gene that is no longer functioning. Two, to exchange a defective gene for a normal gene and match the gene coding for a workable swap. Three, to go into a defective gene and try to process a selective mutation of the gene to reverse the defect. The entire reasoning of gene therapy is to make a defective gene normal and thus reverse the process of disease that is caused by a malfunctioning or non functioning gene.

The process of gene therapy involves the use of viruses that infect a cell. By using a virus type gene to entire the diseased cell, the replacement gene has been inserted.

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The Current State of Research into Gene Therapy

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Research into gene therapy is still in its infancy. Stem cell research may hold the key to the cure for many types of genetic diseases, but no one is yet really sure what it can do. John Kerry used the ban on stem cell research as a campaign tactic against his opponent, but even if the research had been allowed, scientists are still many years away from determining what they can and cannot do for gene research therapy.

Moral objections have provided the major obstacle to research gene therapy in the United States. The stem cell types that show the most promise for future breakthroughs come from children and fetuses. Because aborted fetuses provide the best source of stem cells, religious groups object to their use in scientific research. Recent advances have made it possible for parents to collect stem cells from a recently born child and store them should an infant need it later. Anti-stem cell activists fear that encouraging the use of the cells could lead to an increased rate of abortion, although the ban means that research that could have occurred from aborted fetuses needed to be passed up.

Even though gene therapy research involving stem cells could not advance from earlier sources, stem cells do exist in adults. Scientist have achieved limited success with cause these cells to grow into the new cell types that they want. So far, the treatment has had limited use, but success has been achieved in bone regrowth and in the treatment of a few vision problems.

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Types of Gene Therapy

admin    Gene Therapy, What is Germ Line    

Gene Therapy is a controversial scientific and medical development that involves altering the genetic makeup of the cells in patients in order to treat or prevent certain medical conditions. There are two main categories of gene therapy; Somatic Cells and Germline Cells. Somatic cells represent the majority of cells in the human body, and are not passed on to future generations. Germline cells exist within eggs and sperm. Any alternation

The majority of gene therapy done is the Somatic variety. It is less controversial, and of course there are a lot more cells to work with. Somatic gene therapy is used to treat conditions such as cancer, cystic fibrosis, and muscular dystrophy. The sooner the genetic therapy is begun the more effective the results of the treatment. Some gentic therapy is even conducted in utero in order to prevent problems that would likely occur after the child is born.

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