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Life Style Pets And ‘Designer’ Babies
April 26, 2008 at 6:03 PM
Health Watch
Tinkering with the genes has been an indulgence since the time man co-existed with animals. But it is only now that the warning bells have begun to toll! Here’s why...
Frisker Facts
Several cat lovers are allergic to their feline pets but choose to suffer in silence due to their overwhelming love for these animals. Cat allergens are proteins secreted by the cat’s skin and salivary glands. They are minute and may remain airborne for lengthy periods. These potent proteins induce allergies, especially in children, besides causing respiratory diseases, such as asthma and bronchitis.
"Gene silencing" is a molecular technology, which helps to suppress a gene function. Using this technique, the genes, involved in the production of the allergy-causing protein, were silenced. An American company, Allerca, used this technique to design hypoallergenic cats that are put forth as a boon to several cat lovers.
Not to be left behind, the South Koreans, who have been in the news for all the wrong reasons, have cloned cats with modified fluorescence proteins. It was done with a desire to develop a futuristic cure for human genetic diseases. But for now, the cats glow when exposed to UV light; they look very chic and appealing!
Cat allergens causes allergy in humans, but not in cats. They are natural proteins that are present in them. It is all very well to silence genes to cater to cat lovers, but one cannot help wondering if enough probes have been carried out to assess its effects on the cats and to evaluate the authenticity of these claims! One also wonders if there are human allergens that are offensive to our feline friends!!
‘Bio-Art’
Bio-engineered pets are the latest additions to a meandering list of ‘artistic’ expressions. When Adam Brandejs, a Canadian sculptor, masterminded Genpets, he intended for them to serve as pets and companions.
These mass-produced, bio-engineered forms resemble the ‘bonsai’ versions of the fabled gnomes. They twitch, claw, shake and head-butt within their plastic confines, and depend on feeding tubes to provide them with energy.
But sadly, the lives that flicker in these plastic bags, have been deemed worthless due to their utter dependancy and have been marketed as average kids’ toys.
While it beats the pulp out of one’s senses wondering what these ‘creations’ aim to achieve, it may be listed as yet another example of bio-technology gone awry.
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guest
05/05/2008
This article throws a good light on Gene silencing. Incidentally, The term gene silencing is generally used to describe the "switching off" of a gene by a mechanism other than genetic modification. That is, a gene which would be expressed (turned on) under normal circumstances is switched off by machinery in the cell. This is very useful for several scientific advances.
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guest
04/29/2008
What an interesting article with a captivating title. WHile it is fascinating to know about the clones, it will still be far fetched to have these clones in multiple copies, especially in humans. The reason being the early onset of genetic disorders or aging as what happend in the sheep Dolly. While genetic material could control the phenotypical outcome, still the behavioural aspects in humans are largely controlled by the environment. So the hype of cloning in humans may not happen that easily.
guest
04/28/2008
Very interesting article.I enjoyed reading it. Science is indeed making huge progress and it is important to be reminded about the pitfalls and to keep it humane. I sometimes feel that even though the possibilities for quirky experiments exist,and that we should be made aware of it, nature has a way of streamlining it, thereby creating a balance. Very thought provoking article.
guest
04/28/2008
An Excellent article. The article highlights the need for research in genetics and reproductive medicine to be monitored. The ethical issues involved in this area need to stringently evaluated.The curious case of Dr Hwang Woo Suk who was indicted on embezzlement and bioethics law violations linked to faked stem cell research are fresh in most of our minds. If gentlemen like Dr Hwang are at the forefront of reseach of this cutting edge technology somebody up there need to save us ! I am sure this article will go a long way in making us aware of the perils of this 'Godsend??? technology' |
Medwonders Health Network
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