![]() A well-preserved source of DNA from the extinct dinosaur, and.They run into trouble, however, when they realize that the cloned creatures were smarter and fiercer than expected. In the original feature film, based on the Michael Crichton novel, scientists use DNA preserved for tens of millions of years to clone dinosaurs. You might have seen the Jurassic Park movies. The donor DNA came from an 8-month-old with a rare genetic disease. ![]() In 2013, scientists at Oregon Health and Science University were the first to use cloning techniques to successfully create human embryonic stem cells. And stem cells cloned from someone with a disease could be grown in culture and studied to help researchers understand the disease and develop treatments. These cells could then be used for medical purposes, possibly even for growing whole organs. Some researchers are looking at cloning as a way to create stem cells that are genetically identical to an individual. But stem cells transferred from one person to another (such as in a bone marrow transplant) are seen as foreign, and they usually trigger an immune response. Because these are processes that stem cells do naturally, they can be manipulated to repair damaged or diseased organs and tissues. Stem cells build, maintain, and repair the body throughout our lives. Cloning could help reduce the time needed to make a transgenic animal model, and the result would be a population of genetically identical animals for study. Creating these transgenic animals is a time-intensive process that requires trial-and-error and several generations of breeding. Often, animal models are genetically engineered to carry disease-causing mutations in their genes. Much of what researchers learn about human disease comes from studying animal models such as mice. ![]() How might cloning be used in medicine? Cloning animal models of disease Cloning for medical purposes has the potential to benefit large numbers of people.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |