Genetic technology in medicine
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| recombinant | 重组 | chóng zǔ |
| insulin | 胰岛素 | yí dǎo sù |
| genetic screening | 基因筛查 | jī yīn shāi chá |
| cystic fibrosis | 囊性纤维化 | náng xìng xiān wéi huà |
| gene therapy | 基因治疗 | jī yīn zhì liáo |
Rewriting medicine
- Genetic technology has transformed medicine.
- It makes human proteins, tests for disease alleles, and even treats genetic diseases.
- But it also raises hard questions.
Genetically modified bacteria can be used to make human insulin.
The human insulin gene is inserted into the bacteria, which then make exact human insulin.
Recombinant 重组 human proteins
- A human gene is put into bacteria or other cells, which then make a recombinant human protein — an exact copy.
- This is safer, never in short supply, and avoids using animal or donor proteins.
- Examples: insulin 胰岛素 (diabetes), factor VIII (haemophilia), adenosine deaminase (faulty immune system).
The human insulin gene is inserted into a plasmid and put into bacteria, which then make human insulin
Restriction enzymes cut sticky ends; ligase joins them
Making human insulin with GM bacteria
Step through it. The human insulin gene goes into bacteria, which then churn out exact human insulin in fermenters.
An advantage of making insulin as a recombinant human protein is that it:
Recombinant insulin is identical to human insulin, available in quantity, and avoids animal/donor sources.
Human insulin made by genetically modified bacteria is described as ______ insulin.
Recombinant = the human gene has been combined into the bacterium's DNA.
Genetic screening 基因筛查
- Genetic screening tests a person's DNA for disease alleles before symptoms appear.
- Examples: BRCA1/BRCA2 (breast cancer risk), Huntington's disease, cystic fibrosis 囊性纤维化.
- The results help people make informed choices about treatment and family.
Genetic screening tests a person's DNA for:
Screening checks for disease alleles (e.g. BRCA, Huntington's, cystic fibrosis) before any symptoms show.
Match each medical use of genetic technology to what it does.
Genetic technology lets us make exact human proteins, test for disease alleles, replace faulty genes and personalise drugs.
Gene therapy 基因治疗
- Gene therapy treats a genetic disease by putting a working copy of a gene into the patient's cells.
- It has been used for SCID (a failed immune system) and some inherited eye diseases.
Gene therapy treats a genetic disease by:
Gene therapy supplies a functioning gene (e.g. for SCID), correcting the faulty one.
Ethical questions
- Who should see your genetic results?
- Could insurers or employers misuse them?
- Are the changes safe and permanent — and who decides?
Which is an ethical concern raised by genetic screening?
Concerns include who can see the results and whether they could be misused, plus safety and consent.
You've got it
- recombinant proteins (e.g. insulin): safer, never short, no animal/donor source
- genetic screening tests DNA for disease alleles before symptoms (BRCA, Huntington's, cystic fibrosis)
- gene therapy adds a working gene to cells (e.g. SCID)
- these raise ethical issues: privacy, misuse, safety, and who decides