● Animals that have had their `color{violet}("DNA")` manipulated to `color{violet}("possess and express an extra (foreign) gene")` are known as `color{violet}("transgenic animals")`.
● `color{violet}("Transgenic rats, rabbits, pigs, sheep, cows and fish")` have been produced, although over
`color{violet}("95 percent")` of all existing `color{violet}("transgenic animals are mice")`.
● `color{green}("THEIR ADVANTAGES:")`
`star` `color{brown}("Normal physiology and development:")`
● `color{violet}("Transgenic animals")` can be specifically designed to allow the study of how
`color{violet}("genes")` are regulated, and how they affect the normal functions of the body and its development, e.g., study of complex factors involved in growth such as `color{violet}("insulin-like growth factor")`.
● By introducing `color{violet}("genes")` from other species that alter the formation of this factor and studying the biological effects that result, information is obtained about the `color{violet}("biological role of the factor in the body")`.
`star` `color{brown}("Study of disease:")`
● Many `color{violet}("transgenic animals")` are `color{violet}("designed to increase")` our understanding of how
`color{violet}("genes")` contribute to the development of `color{violet}("disease")`.
● These are specially made to serve as models for `color{violet}("human diseases")` so that investigation of new
`color{violet}("treatments")` for `color{violet}("diseases is made possible")`.
● Today `color{violet}("transgenic models exist")` for many `color{violet}("human diseases")` such as
`color{violet}("cancer, cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer’s")`.
`star` `color{brown}("Biological products:")`
● `color{violet}("Medicines")` required to treat certain `color{violet}("human diseases")` can contain biological products, but such products are often expensive to make.
● `color{violet}("Transgenic animals")` that produce useful `color{violet}("biological products")` can be created by the introduction of the `color{violet}("portion")` of `color{violet}("DNA (or genes)")` which codes for a particular product such as
`color{violet}("human protein (α-1-antitrypsin) ")` used to `color{violet}("treat emphysema.")`
● Similar attempts are being made for `color{violet}("treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU)")` and `color{violet}("cystic fibrosis")`.
● `color{violet}("In 1997")`, the first `color{violet}("transgenic cow, Rosie, produced human protein-enriched milk (2.4 grams per litre)")`.
● The milk contained the `color{violet}("human alpha-lactalbumin")` and was nutritionally a more balanced product for
`color{violet}("human babies")` than natural `color{violet}("cow-milk.")`
` star` `color{brown}("Vaccine safety")`
● `color{violet}("Transgenic mice")` are being developed for use in testing the safety of
`color{violet}("vaccines")` before they are used on `color{violet}("humans")`.
● `color{violet}("Transgenic mice")` are being used to test the safety of the `color{violet}("polio vaccine")`.
● If successful and found to be reliable, they could replace the use of `color{violet}("monkeys")` to test the safety of batches of the vaccine.
`star` `color{brown}("Chemical safety testing")`
● This is known as `color{violet}("toxicity/safety testing")`.
● The procedure is the same as that used for `color{violet}("testing toxicity of drugs")`.
● `color{violet}("Transgenic animals")` are made that
`color{violet}("carry genes")` which make them more `color{violet}("sensitive to toxic")` substances than
`color{violet}("non-transgenic animals")`.
● They are then exposed to the `color{violet}("toxic substances")` and the effects studied.
● `color{violet}("Toxicity testing")` in such animals will allow us to obtain results in less time.
● Animals that have had their `color{violet}("DNA")` manipulated to `color{violet}("possess and express an extra (foreign) gene")` are known as `color{violet}("transgenic animals")`.
● `color{violet}("Transgenic rats, rabbits, pigs, sheep, cows and fish")` have been produced, although over
`color{violet}("95 percent")` of all existing `color{violet}("transgenic animals are mice")`.
● `color{green}("THEIR ADVANTAGES:")`
`star` `color{brown}("Normal physiology and development:")`
● `color{violet}("Transgenic animals")` can be specifically designed to allow the study of how
`color{violet}("genes")` are regulated, and how they affect the normal functions of the body and its development, e.g., study of complex factors involved in growth such as `color{violet}("insulin-like growth factor")`.
● By introducing `color{violet}("genes")` from other species that alter the formation of this factor and studying the biological effects that result, information is obtained about the `color{violet}("biological role of the factor in the body")`.
`star` `color{brown}("Study of disease:")`
● Many `color{violet}("transgenic animals")` are `color{violet}("designed to increase")` our understanding of how
`color{violet}("genes")` contribute to the development of `color{violet}("disease")`.
● These are specially made to serve as models for `color{violet}("human diseases")` so that investigation of new
`color{violet}("treatments")` for `color{violet}("diseases is made possible")`.
● Today `color{violet}("transgenic models exist")` for many `color{violet}("human diseases")` such as
`color{violet}("cancer, cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer’s")`.
`star` `color{brown}("Biological products:")`
● `color{violet}("Medicines")` required to treat certain `color{violet}("human diseases")` can contain biological products, but such products are often expensive to make.
● `color{violet}("Transgenic animals")` that produce useful `color{violet}("biological products")` can be created by the introduction of the `color{violet}("portion")` of `color{violet}("DNA (or genes)")` which codes for a particular product such as
`color{violet}("human protein (α-1-antitrypsin) ")` used to `color{violet}("treat emphysema.")`
● Similar attempts are being made for `color{violet}("treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU)")` and `color{violet}("cystic fibrosis")`.
● `color{violet}("In 1997")`, the first `color{violet}("transgenic cow, Rosie, produced human protein-enriched milk (2.4 grams per litre)")`.
● The milk contained the `color{violet}("human alpha-lactalbumin")` and was nutritionally a more balanced product for
`color{violet}("human babies")` than natural `color{violet}("cow-milk.")`
` star` `color{brown}("Vaccine safety")`
● `color{violet}("Transgenic mice")` are being developed for use in testing the safety of
`color{violet}("vaccines")` before they are used on `color{violet}("humans")`.
● `color{violet}("Transgenic mice")` are being used to test the safety of the `color{violet}("polio vaccine")`.
● If successful and found to be reliable, they could replace the use of `color{violet}("monkeys")` to test the safety of batches of the vaccine.
`star` `color{brown}("Chemical safety testing")`
● This is known as `color{violet}("toxicity/safety testing")`.
● The procedure is the same as that used for `color{violet}("testing toxicity of drugs")`.
● `color{violet}("Transgenic animals")` are made that
`color{violet}("carry genes")` which make them more `color{violet}("sensitive to toxic")` substances than
`color{violet}("non-transgenic animals")`.
● They are then exposed to the `color{violet}("toxic substances")` and the effects studied.
● `color{violet}("Toxicity testing")` in such animals will allow us to obtain results in less time.