Genetic Engineering

Every living creature contains more than 100,000 genes, which are the units in chromosomes controlling heredity The genes are made of DNA, the hereditary material (the 'building bricks'), which contains the genetic code of a living being, it is by this material that its cellular structure is defined

Many people have inherited diseases because of a defect in just one of their genes. In Britain, for example, about one in 500 people suffers from a hereditary form of heart disease Some of their children can be helped by gene replacement therapy (defec­tive genes are replaced by sound ones). The goals and purposes for cloning range from making copies of those that have deceased to better engineering the offspring in humans and animals. Cloning could also directly offer a means of curing diseases or a technique that could extend means to acquiring new data for the sciences of embryology and how organisms develop as a whole over time.

Genetic engineering, like biotechnology in general, is a new science It poses incalculable risks and many moral and ethical questions (for exam­ple, the artificial creation and cloning of human beings). On the other hand, it can be beneficial to modern medicine certain diseases which cause misery, pain and distress to both children and parents can be eradicated in this way

The biggest problem with the use of cloning on a large is scale is the decline in genetic diversity. Also, if a population of organisms has the same genetic information, then the disease would wipe out the entire population. Helping endangered species by cloning will not help the problem. Currently, zoologists and environmentalists trying to save endangered species are not so much having trouble keeping population numbers up, but not having any animals to breed that are not cousins.

Using cloning to produce offspring for the sake of their organs is an issue that we must also face and question whether or not it is morally right. No one will say that it is okay to kill a human being for the sake of their organs, but many have no objection to cloning thousands of individuals that look alike. Technology seems to take away many of the morals that we have worked so hard to install in society. Most people only seem to want to cater to their own needs and do not bother to consider the consequences that society and the clone may have to face.

Some scientists believe today's technology just isn't ready to be tested on humans. Ian Wilmut, one of Dolly's co-creators, has even said that human cloning projects would be irresponsible. Opponents of cloning point out that while we can euthanize defective clones of other animals, it's morally problematic if this happens during the human cloning process.

Examples of applied genetic engineering:

Genetically engineered sheep produce human proteins used to combat blood diseases, for example haemophilia. The researchers inject hu­man genes, which code the factor-VIII protein, into the fertilized eggs of sheep so that the protein will finally emerge m the animals' milk, from which it must then be isolated

Geneticists' arguments in favour of genetic engineering:

1 By producing hybrids of plants (for example hybrid wheat) or animals (half sheep, half goat) they can help farmers worldwide. Wheat grows faster and is made resistant to insects and diseases, animals are more productive, need less food etc

2 Hybrid animals can produce drugs and help modern medicine in its search for new products to combat blood diseases etc

3 By modifying an embryo's structure at an early stage geneticists can exclude some genetic risks

4 The discovery of a defective gene need not necessarily raise the option of abortion preventive treatment may suffice.

Moral and ethical questions raised by genetic engineering:

1 Should certain types of experimentation on embryos be allowed in spite of the danger of human beings being regarded as laboratory material.

2 Should an embryo be aborted if it has a defective gene which has been discovered prenatally.

3 Scientists may attempt to produce a super-species of human being they may use gene transplants to enhance physical appearance, talents or intelligence, which could give rise to the danger of genetic manipula­tion

Date: 2016-03-03; view: 790