BIOTECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS

Contrary to its name biotechnology is not a single technology. Rather it is a group of technologies that share two characteristics-working with living cells and their molecules and having a wide range of practice uses that can improve our Biotechnology can be broadly defined as using organisms or their products for commercial purpose . HUMAN APPLICATIONS Biotechnology methods are now used to produce many proteins for pharmaceutical and other specialized. Gene therapy-altering DNA within cells in an organism to treat or cure a disease-is one of the most promising areas of biotechnology research. New genetic therapies are being developed to treat disease such as cystic fibrosis, AIDS and cancer Biotechnology has scope in the fields of agriculture and animal husbandry, molecular medicine, forensic science, microbial genetics, environmental sciences etc. one of the specific application of Biotechnology is genetic engineering. The experiment of Stanley Cohen and Herbert Boyer (1973) pertaining to the removal of specific gene from a bacterium and the insertion of the same gene into another bacterium, marks the beginning of the recombinant DNA-technology which is also called as genetic engineering. VACCINES THROUGH BIOTECHNOLOGY Through genetic engineering, scientists can isolate specific genes and insert them into DNA of certain microbes or mammalian cells; the microbes or cells become living factories, mass producing the desired antigen. Then, using another product of biotechnology, a monoclonal antibody that recognizes the antigen, the scientists can separate the antigen from all the other material produced by the microbe or cell. This technique has been used to produce immunogenic but safe segments of the hepatitis B virus and the malarial parasites. In another approach, scientists have inserted genes for desired antigens into the DNA of the vaccinia virus, the large cowpox virus familiar for its role in smallpox immunization. When the reengineered vaccinia virus is inoculated, it stimulates an immune reaction to both the vaccinia and the products of its passenger genes. These have included, in animal experiments, genes from the virus that cause hepatitis B, influenza, rabies, and AIDS HISTORY OF VACCINES Vaccines originated with the British physician, Edward Jenner in 1796. Jenner discovered that by inserting diseased matter from a person having cow pox into a cut of a healthy person, that person would become immune to small pox. This was considered a very great discovery, as smallpox was a very deadly disease. Some of the other discoveries are:y Diphtheria toxoid: - In 1921 y Tetanus Toxoid- In 1924 y Pertussis Vaccine:- in 1930 y Polio Vaccine:- In 1955 y Measles vaccine:- In 1963 y Mumps vaccine:- In 1967 1

Vaccine:- In 1969

HOW VACCINES WORK:Our immune systems attack germs of various sorts that enter our body, partly by making antibodies to destroy the germs. However, in many cases the germs have already multiplied greatly before our immune system is able to fight back, causing us to experience the symptoms of the sickness. After the germs are destroyed, antibodies for fighting that type of germ remain in our body, guarding against future attacks by that same germ. The theory behind vaccines is that they cause our body to develop immunity to a disease without having to first catch the true disease. They do so by exposing the body to killed or weakened forms of the given germ, causing the body to fight back with antibodies against the invader. In most cases, the germs should not actually result in sickness or serious side effects because of their weakened or killed state. KEY DEBATE ISSUES:RISK OF DISEASE: - if the viruses are not properly inactivated or if they are not properly introduced in the body they can cause the disease instead of preventing it. VACCINE EFFECTIVENESS: - no one claims 100 % effectiveness, but there is much debate as to just how high a percentage and how long immunity lasts. One side regularly cites 90+% effectiveness and probably lifetime immunity, if the prescribed timing is followed and boosters taken as instructed. The other side cites their evidence that certain vaccines are perhaps only 50-60 % effective with immunity often wearing of in 5-10 years. ADVERSE VACCINE REACTION:-one side cites statistics and studies indicating that adverse reactions are extremely rare and have not been found to result in death or hardly any serious condition. On the other hand there are studies and publications of concern by doctors and researchers that certain vaccines appear to be causing a small number of deaths. They refer to the many cases taken to the U.S. court of claims, with the verdict that the vaccine was the probable cause of death EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS Embryonic stem cells, as their name suggest are derived from embryos. Most embryonic stem cells are derived from embryos that develop from the eggs that have been fertilized in vitro-in an in vitro fertilization clinic-and then donated research purposes with informed consent of the donors. Laboratory method of growing Stem cells:Growing cells in the laboratory is known as cell culture. Human embryonic stem cells (HESC) are generated by transferring cells from preimplantation stage embryo into a plastic laboratory culture dish that contains a nutrient broth known as culture medium. The cells divide and spread over the surface of the dish. The inner surface of the culture dish is typically coated with mouse embryonic skin cells that have been treated so that they will not divide. This coating layer of cells is called Feeded layer. The mouse cells in the bottom of the culture dish provide the cells a sticky surface to which they can attach. Also, the feeder cells release nutrients into the culture medium. Researchers have devised ways to grow embryonic stem cells without mouse feeder cells. This is a significant scientific advancement because of

the risk that viruses of the other macromolecules in the mouse cells may be transmitted to the human cells. As long as the embryonic stem cells in culture are grown under appropriate conditions, they can remain undifferentiated. But if cells are allowed to clump together to form embryoid bodies, they begin to differentiate spontaneously. They can form muscle cells, nerve cells, and many other cell types If scientists can reliably direct the differentiation of embryonic stem cells into specific cell types, they may be able to use the resulting, differentiated cells to treat certain disease in future. Disease that might be treated by transplanting cells generated from human embryonic stem cells include Parkinson s disease, traumatic spinal cord injury, Duchene s muscular dystrophy, heart disease and vision and hearing loss.

Reference 1. www.cdc.gov 2. www.909shot.com 3. www.pathguy.com/antiimmu.htm. 4. "Vaccines: Are They Really Safe and Effective? By Neil Z. Miller's (1992) 5. Stem Cell Information, the national institute of health resource for stem cell research 6. Bio s guide to Biotechnology. http://www.bio.org/aboutbio/guide1.html