What is Gene Therapy?
Gene therapy is a relatively new concept, it is an experimental technique that uses genes to theoretically treat and prevent various types of Illnesses/Genetic Disorders such as Haemophilia, Cancer, Chronic Granulomatous Disorder and Cystic Fibrosis. The process of gene therapy involves the use of a Viral Vector (Most Common Form) other forms of delivery which are non-viral include the injection of naked DNA, sonoporation and magnetofection.
Figure 1 .1 Shows us how an unmodified Virus under normal conditions work.
How It Works?
The viruses DNA is removed and replaced by the needed DNA that corresponds to the specific required gene, which is then to be inserted into a human body, once its inside, the cell's gene-reading machinery uses the information in the gene to build RNA and protein molecules, these proteins can therefore carry out their specific jobs within the cell(s).
Figure 1.2 Shows How to Create a Viral Vector.
Another Type of Gene Therapy:
Germ line gene therapy involves the modification of germ cells (gametes) that will pass the change on to the next generation. With germ line therapy genes could be corrected in the egg or the sperm that is being used to conceive. The child that results would be spared certain genetic problems that might otherwise have occurred. Because every cell descends from the fertilized egg, every cell in the offspring would possess the transplanted gene. This would be a far more effective way of transferring genes than the ones presently used in somatic cell therapies, where genes into the cells of children or adults usually enter only a small portion of the person’s cells and eventually stop functioning.
Gene Therapy sounds very appealing, a quick fix that could s...
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...m line gene therapy are not yet born they can’t have the decision to choose whether or not they want to undergo the treatment
Figure 1.5 poses the question, Gene Therapy will it make us intellectual property and products?
Conclusion:
Once gene therapy develops enough to enter mainstream treatment is will be quite expensive and not everyone will be able to become disease free instantly, but with time this price will go down. Gene therapy is a possible permanent solution to all sicknesses and diseases no matter how severe they are, allowing everyone no matter what to live a normal life, the disadvantages are there but only because our knowledge of the treatment is still fairly limited once that changes, gene therapy will definitely be a viable solution to all our medical/health problems we face today such as mentioned Cystic Fibrosis, Choroideremia and Diabetes.