Preventing Genetic Disorders With Gene-therapy Essay

Ten years ago researchers from the U.S., Britain, France, Germany, Japan and China sat down and began developing the most important map ever made. Instead of roads and landmarks, this was a map of letters. It was â€Å"a rough map of the 3 billion letters of genetic instructions that make us who [we] are† (â€Å"First†). On Monday, 26 June 2000, the researchers announced that the map of the human genome was complete.nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;On 26 June 2000 the news of the completion of the human genome was on all the major news wires, televisions and newspapers. What does it mean though? How will this help mankind? One area to which this knowledge can be applied is in the area of gene-therapy. Gene-therapy is†¦show more content†¦When a blood vessel is cut or ruptured, a dozen or more proteins will go to work causing the blood to clot. If any one of these proteins fails to do its part, the clotting process will be slow or non-existent. This can cause an individual with a small cut to bleed to death. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Another more common genetic disorder is Sickle-Cell Anemia. This is a recessive disorder in which afflicted individuals have defective molecules of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein within red blood cells used for carrying oxygen. The mutation causes the hemoglobin molecules to stick together forming a sickle-shaped cell. These cells have trouble moving through the smallest blood vessels and tend to build up, blocking the vessel. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;As stated earlier, most diseases are caused by recessive alleles. This means that both parents would have to carry the recessive allele in order for it to be passed on to their offspring. There are, however, a few genetic diseases that are caused by dominate alleles. One such disease is Huntington’s. Approximately 1 in 24,000 individuals develop this disease. This disease causes progressive deterioration of brain cells. Unlike recessive genetic disorders, all individuals carrying this allele will display the disorder. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;While researchers are still working on a cure for genetic disorders, there are a number of ways the physicians are able toShow MoreRelatedGene Therapy And Its Effects On The Body895 Words   |  4 PagesGene therapy is a relatively new practice in genetics that aims to correct mutations at a molecular level instead of using drugs or surgical approaches. Different approaches to gene therapy include gene augmentation therapy, gene inhibition therapy, the killing of specific cells, somatic gene therapy, and germ line gene therapy. 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