PHLB09H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 9: Gene Therapy, In Vitro Fertilisation, Somatic Cell
Document Summary
Two types of gene therapy exist: somatic cell. Altering genes in a person"s somatic (body) cells s/a liver, muscle cells to treat an existing disorder. The alterations can help the person suffering from the disease but are not inheritable they cannot be passed onto the patient"s offspring. They affect the person"s genome but not the genomes of subsequent generations. Scientific focus is on somatic cell gene therapy with most research evaluating treatments for cancer, heart disease and infectious disease: germ-line cell. Modifying genes in the eggs and sperm cells and zygotes. Germ-line cell gene therapy is not yet feasible. Read over turquoise highlight p. 547 up to stem cells. Positive eugenics---attempts to improve upon normal functions not repair, but enhance. Nazi drive to racial purity through mandatory sterilization of undesirables. Read over fact file: available genetic tests for cancer risk p. 548 & recent research in gene therapy p. 551.
