Cebu Institute of Technology-University

College of Arts and Sciences

Dept. of Mathematics and Natural Scinces

Human
and
WHO CARES?
Which do you like better?

A B
Which do you like better?

A B
Which do you like better?

A B
Which do you like better?

A B
Which do you like better?

A B
Which do you like better?

A B
Which do you like better?

A B
What do you think

MEANS?
 Biodiversity
What does “Bio” mean?

Bio =
 Biodiversity

What does “Diversity” mean?

Diversity = Variety
 Biodiversity

• Means the presence of diverse

biological life forms as well as the
ecosystem in which they live
• It can also be defined as the
richness of species of living things
 There are 3 components of
biodiversity
1. Genetic diversity
Chihuahuas, beagles, and rottweilers are all the same
species —but they're not the same because there is
variety in their genes.

Chihuahua Beagle
Rottweilers
2. Species diversity
For example, monkeys, dragonflies, and
gumamela are all different species.

Saki Monkey Golden Skimmer Gumamela

3. Ecosystem diversity

Lakes, Ponds, and Rivers are all Freshwater

Ecosystems.

Estuary, Salt Marsh , Coral Reef are all Marine

Ecosystems.

So what’s an ECOSYSTEM???
 ECOSYSTEM
“ A self-contained community of microorganisms,
animals and plants, that interact with each other and with
their physical environment.”
Within an ecosystem there can
be many HABITATS
This is the physical and chemical description
of where a creature lives...
 HABITATS might describe:
• The NAME of the place where the
creature lives.

Arctic Canada is the habitat of the polar

bear Ursa maritima.
HABITATS might describe:
• The DOMINANT VEGETATION of the
place where the creature lives.
 HABITATS might describe:
• The TYPE of place where the creature
lives.

species of fish like Pike (Esox lucius) are

found in freshwater lakes and ponds.
• Species – is a group of morphologically
similar creatures which can:
– Interbreed to produce fertile offspring
– Are ‘reproductively isolated’
 Threats to Biodiversity
• Habitat loss and destruction
• Over-exploitation
• Pollution and contamination
• Introduced Species (invasive species)
• Global climate change
• Encroachment of Habitat
 Causes of the Loss of Philippine
Biodiversity
• Population growth and increasing resource
consumption;
• Ignorance about species and ecosystems;
• Poorly conceived policies and poor law enforcement;
• Effects of global trading systems;
• Inequity of resource distribution;
• Apathy or failure to account for the value of
biodiversity;
• Interaction of underlying causes.
Conservation and management of
Biodiversity
• In Situ Conservation-It is the process of protecting
species in its natural habitat, either by establishment and
management of protected areas where the species abound.
• Ex situ Conservation- it is the process of protecting
species outside of its natural habitat by removing a species
from its threatened habitat.
• Biodiversity Prospecting (Bioprospecting) – This
involves searching for, collecting, examining, and deriving
genetic materials from samples of biological resources.
 PHILIPPINES: high species
diversity and high endemicity
ENDANGERED ENDEMIC
• A species present in • An organism
such small numbers exclusively native to a
that it is at risk of place or biota
extinction.
The Birds
The Philippine Eagle : Pithecophaga jefferyi
 Endangered…

The Philippine or Red-vented

Cockatoo
(Cacatua haematuropygia)

The Palawan Peacock Pheasant

(Polyplectron emphanum)
Endangered…

The Sulu Hornbill

(Anthracoceros montani)
The Mindoro Imperial
Pigeon
(Ducula mindorensis)

Sulu hornbill and Cebu black shama, the Philippine

Eagle might follow the Cebu flowerpecker which is now
presumed extinct.
Endangered…

Copsychus cebuensis
Cebu Black Shama

Cebu Flowerpecker
(now presumed extinct)
 Endemics…and Endangered

Visayan wrinkled hornbill

(Aceros waldeni)

The Negros Bleeding Heart Pigeon

(Gallicolumba platenae)

Red-bellied pitta
(Pitta erythrogaster)
One of the world's rarest mammals
lives in the dwindling forest of Panay
Island: Philippine spotted deer
(Cervus alfredi), considered by many
as the most endangered deer in the
planet

Deer that cannot be found

elsewhere: the Calamian hog
deer or Calamian deer
have longer and darker legs,
compared with other hog deer.

By 1996, its population further

declined to only about 900,
prompting conservationists to
declare it as an endangered
species.

The Mammals
Unique pygmy water
buffalos (Bubalus
mindorensis) endemic to
Mindoro listed as one of
the ten most endangered
species in the world.

From 10,000 heads in the

1900's, population went
down to 369 heads in the
late 1980's to as few as
20 heads roaming in the
wild today

The Mammals
 Tarsius syrichta

The Mammals
• The Palawan bearcat population is threatened
by human activities.

The Mammals
Dugongs or sea cows-
the only herbivorous marine
mammals, are often sighted in
Philippine waters,
particularly near Palawan
province and southern
Mindanao.

• A dugong can live more than 70

years.
The Mammals
• The Philippine government has
banned the commercial
exploitation of dugong since
1991.
Golden- capped fruit Bat Over the years, these
(Acerdon jubatus) two species of giant
fruit bats have
roamed around the
10,000-hectare Subic
Forest National
Protected Area,
which is considered
the biggest roosting
site of bats in the
world.

The Mammals
The smallest bat in the world is the Philippine
bamboo bat (vespertilionid), which belongs to the
vespertilionid family. This bat measures about four
centimeters (1 1/2 inches) in length and has a
wingspan of 15 cm. Approximately, it weighs 1.5
grams (1/20 ounce).

The Mammals
The Mindoro Pallid Flying
Fox smallest flying fox in
the Philippines The Philippine tube-nosed bat,
(Nyctimene rabori )of Negros is
considered highly endangered

The Mammals
 Believed to
have become
extinct in
1970s as a
result of the
combination of
forest
destruction,
bare-backed fruit bat disturbance by
(Dobsonia chapmani) guano miners,
and hunting

The Mammals
 The continuous denudation of
tropical forests in the country
threatens the remaining population of
kagwang, which used to abound in
the wilderness of Basilan, Leyte,
Samar, Bohol and Mindanao.

Philippine government declared

kagwang as an endangered species
The Mammals and banned its commercial
exploitation.
 Northern Luzon Giant Cloud Rat
Phloeomys pallidus
The Visayan Warty Pig
(Sus cebifrons)
Widespread in northern and central
Luzon
1994: Endangered From sea level to high mountains (at
least 2000 m), in primary and
1996 - 2004: Critically secondary forest and heavily disturbed
Endangered scrub

The Mammals
 There were tales
that a 27-foot
saltwater
crocodile was
killed near Lake
Taal in Batangas in
1823.

It reportedly took
40 men to bring
(Crocodylus porosus), it is different from the body ashore.
Mindoro's freshwater crocodile
(Crocodylus mindorensis)

Amphibians and Reptiles

 Loggerhead (Caretta caretta)

Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea)

Leatherback sea turtle

Philippine pond turtle

Heosemys leytensis Philippine Green turtle Hawksbill sea turtle

Amphibians and Reptiles

• Donsol, a fishing town in Sorsogon province,
serves as a sanctuary to a group of 40 whale
sharks (Rhincodon typus), which are considered
as the largest fish in the world.

• Locally known as "butanding", whale sharks

visit the waters of Donsol from November to May.
They travel across the oceans but nowhere else
have they been sighted in a larger group than in
the waters of Sorsogon.

• In 1996, a marine biologist discovered that whale sharks are ovoviviparous, which means that the
females produce live offspring from eggs hatched in the uterus.

• The Philippine government declared whale sharks as endangered species in 1998, thereby banning
its plunder and exploitation.

• Right now, the Department of Tourism is promoting eco-tourism to protect the whale sharks in
Donsol.

Fish
The world's smallest freshwater fish is found in the
Philippines. The dwarf goby (Pandaka pygmaea) measures
1.2 centimeters or less than half of an inch, the tiniest
known vertebrate.

American Ichthyologist Albert Herre first discovered it in

Malabon River in 1925. Fish
 it would take a thousand to fill a tablespoon

World's smallest commercial fish: Sinarapan (Mistichthys luzonensis) found

only in Lakes Bato and Buhi in Camarines Sur province.

Sinarapan grows to an average length of 1.25 centimeters, only slightly

longer than the dwarf goby.

Today, unabated fishing in the two lakes threatens the population of

sinarapan. Fish
 Sawtail Catshark

Chaetodontoplus caeruleopunctatus
Blue-spotted angelfish

Philippine Anchovy: Dilis or Bolinao

Exyrias: goby or biya Fish

• More than 500 of the world's 700 coral species are
found under the waters of the Philippines, which is
a part of the Coral Triangle - a region in the Pacific
Ocean.

• There are at least 50 known seahorse species in

the world. They inhabit temperate and tropical
waters but most of them are concentrated in the
warm coastal waters of the Philippines.

• The seahorse's scientific genus name,

Hippocampus is a Greek word, which means, "bent
horse."

• At least 47 nations and territories around the world

are involved in buying and selling seahorses. The
largest known importers are China, Hong Kong,
and Taiwan.

• Among the largest exporters is the Philippines.

Fish
(Tridacna gigas), one of the world's largest shells
can be found under Philippine waters.

Tridacna gigas grows as large as one meter in length

and weighs 600 pounds

The Invertebrates
Pisidum, the world's tiniest shell,
can be found under Philippine waters.

Pisidum is less than

1 millimeter long

The Invertebrates
A shell called glory of the sea (Connus gloriamaris) is also
found in the Philippines and considered as one of the most
expensive shells in the world.

The Invertebrates
Which is more diverse?

A B
Which is more diverse?

A B
Which is more diverse?

A B
Which is more diverse?

A B
Which has more cultural
diversity?

A B
Which has more biodiversity?

A B
Which has more biodiversity?

A B
The End!
 Components of Earth’s atmosphere
 Changes in Earth’s climate over time
 Possible effects of global warming
 Adapting to climate change
 Human impacts on the ozone layer
 Protecting and restoring the ozone layer
 Where weather happens
 Location - surface to about 10 km.
 Composition - unpolluted air: Nitrogen (78%)
Oxygen (21%). Remaining 1% is CO2
(0.038%), H, He, Ar.
◦ Water vapor is an additional variable
amount, .01% to 5%.
 Where jets fly (at the bottom of it)
 Location - Above troposphere, about 10-50
km. Very thin air - virtually no weather, and
no turbulence.
 Composition- Similar to troposphere, except
◦ water vapor is 1000 x less
◦ ozone is 1000 x greater.
 Climate = long-term atmospheric conditions
 Weather = short-term atmospheric
conditions
 Both climate and weather are dynamic – they
change with time
 Carbon Dioxide (CO2) - fossil fuel burning,
land clearing/burning.
 Methane (CH4) - Breakdown of organic
material by anaerobic bacteria.
 Nitrous Oxide (NO, NO2) - Biomass burning,
automobile exhaust.
 Ozone (O3)– automobile exhaust
 Chlorofluorocarbons(CFC) - Refrigerants,
cleaning solvents, propellants.
1. 20th C was hottest in the past 1000
years
2. Global temp has risen 0.6°C (1.1°F)
since 1861
3. 16 warmest years on record since
1980, 10 warmest since 1990
4. Glaciers and sea ice are melting
5. Sea level has risen 100-200 cm over
20th C
We can’t do real experiments on the whole
earth’s climate, so how do we predict future
climate change?
 Scale up from small experiments
 Computer models (GCMs)
 Learn from the past

◦ Paleoclimatology and Paleoecology

Options
 Do more research before acting –
“wait and see” (current US
strategy)
 Act now to reduce risks because
global warming would have severe
impacts
 Act now in same way to reduce
risks of global warming because it
has other benefits to environment
and society (even if warming
doesn’t happen)
 Ozone (O3) in the
stratosphere
protects life on the
surface of the earth
from harmful UV
solar radiation.
 Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and related
chemicals break down ozone in stratosphere
 Uses (mostly phased out)
• Air Conditioners
• Refrigerators
• Spray cans
• Cleaners for electronic parts
• Sterilizing medical instruments
• Fumigants for granaries and cargo ships
Seasonal Ozone Layer Thinning at the Poles

Credit: © Science VU/NASA/Visuals Unlimited

Large Antarctic Ozone hole three times the size of the United States. September, 2000.
 Increased incidence and severity of sunburn
 Increase in eye cataracts
 Increased incidence of skin cancer
 Immune system suppression
 Increase in acid deposition
 Lower crop yields and decline in productivity
 CFC substitutes
 Montreal Protocol 1987
 Copenhagen Protocol 1992
• both signed by 177 countries
 CFCs take 10-20 years to get to the
stratosphere
 CFCs take 65-385 years to break down
 Structure and composition of the atmosphere
 Types and sources of outdoor air pollution
 Types, formation, and effects of smog
 Sources and effects of acid deposition
 Effects of air pollution
 Prevention and control of air pollution
 Primary - Released directly from planet’s surface.
Dust, smoke particles, Nitrogen, Carbon etc.
 Secondary - Formed when primary pollutants react
or combine with one another, or basic elements.
Carbon Monoxide—Produced when organic
materials are incompletely burned.
 Single largest source is the automobile.
 Not a persistent pollutant.
 Binds to hemoglobin in blood and makes the
hemoglobin less able to carry oxygen.
 Most dangerous in enclosed spaces.
 Cigarette smoking an important source.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
 Hydrocarbons - Group of organic compounds
consisting of carbon and hydrogen.
◦ Evaporated from automobile fuel or remnants of
fuel incompletely burned.
◦ Catalytic converters used to burn exhaust gases
more completely.
Particulates—Minute pieces of solid materials
dispersed into the atmosphere (<10
microns).
 Smoke, Asbestos, Dust, Ash
 Can accumulate in lungs and interfere with
the ability of lungs to exchange gases.
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)—Sulfur and oxygen compound
produced when sulfur-containing fossil fuels are
burned.
 Burning coal is primary artificial source
 Volcanoes and hot springs are natural sources
 Mt St Helens releases 50 to 250 tons/day when
active
 Steam Plant recently: 200 tons/day
 After scrubbers installed (cost $250 million): 27
tons/day
 SO2 is also a precursor to acid rain (a secondary
pollutant)
 Nitrogen Oxides (NO, NO2)—Formed when
combustion takes place in the air.
◦ Automobile exhaust is primary
source.
◦ NOx is also a precursor to acid rain
and photochemical smog (both
secondary pollutants) and is a
greenhouse gas
 Ozone (O3)
 PANs (Peroxyacetyl nitrate)
 Aldehydes
 all three formed by interaction between NOx
and VOCs.
 Note: - Ozone is a pollutant in the
troposphere, but natural and beneficial in the
stratosphere.
 Brown-air smog
 Some primary
pollutants react
under the influence
of sunlight
(photochemical
reaction), including
NOx, O3, PANs.
Corrosive, irritating.
 Common in urban
areas of the west US:
cars + sun +
mountains.
 Credit: © John D. Cunningham/Visuals Unlimited 213524

Los Angeles smog.

 Gray-air smog
 From burning coal and
oil (particulates, sulfur
dioxide, sulfuric acid).
 London was the smog
capitol. In 1952, smog
developed for days, no
atmospheric mixing,
4,000 people died.
 Now mainly a problem
in LDCs with developing
industries and no
pollution control laws.
 warm air normally near surface, pollutants
disperse as air rises and mixes
 when cool air trappead under warm air,
confined by mountains, pollutants do not
disperse, intensify with time
 Wet deposition  Dry deposition
 Respiratory diseases
 Toxic metal leaching
 Damage to structures, especially
containing calcium carbonate
 Decreased visibility
 Decreased productivity and
profitability of fisheries, forests,
and farms
 Fish declines
 Aluminum toxicity
 Acid shock
 Nutrient
leaching
 Heavy metal
release
 Weakens trees
 Credit: © Rob & Ann Simpson/Visuals Unlimited

Acid rain-damaged Fraser Fir and Red Spruce trees. Mt. Mitchell State Park, North Carolina.
 Respiratory diseases
 Asthma
 Lung cancer
 Chronic bronchitis
 Emphysema
 Premature death
 NAAQS establishead for six pollutants:
◦ Sulfur Dioxide
◦ Nitrogen Oxides
◦ Particulate Matter
◦ Carbon Monoxide
◦ Ozone
◦ Lead
 Experts say two other important pollutants
should be listed:
◦ Volatile Organic Compounds
◦ Carbon Dioxide
 Industrial Activities
◦ Scrubbers
◦ Precipitators
◦ Filters
 Sulfur Removal
◦ Switch to low-sulfur fuel.
◦ Remove sulfur from fuel before use.
◦ Scrubbing gases emitted from smokestack.
 CO
 CO2
 NOx
 VOCs
 PM
 And can lead to formation of secondary
pollutants
Barometer - A device used
to measure atmospheric
pressure
Wind Vane
• Indicates direction from
which the wind is blowing
Anemometer
• An instrument used to
measure wind speed
Rain gauge
• An instrument used to
measure amounts of
precipitation
Doppler radar
• Radar that uses the
Doppler effect on water
droplets in clouds to
measure the wind speed
and direction
Lesson 3: GMO: Science Health & Politics
 Lesson Objectives

• At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

• identify issues on genetically modified organisms.
• discuss different implications & impacts of GMO's and;
• create a research paper on the impact of GMO's in the
Philippine context.
The idea of GMO in the Philippines particularly
on Bt Corn developed when Rosalie Ellasus,
an OFW in Singapore attended IPM- Farmer
Field School.

She voluntered that her field be tested with

Bt Corn, she observed that their was an
increase in the yield from 4.2 tons per ha to
7.2 tons per acre..

Ongkiko 2016, said, that this is one of the

success stories of the GMO's.
Origin of the term Genetic Engineering

Coined by Jack Williamson in the year

1951, author of science fiction novel
Dragon's Island .

Through continuous search for development

the term genetic engineering became a
reality.
What is GMO? How is it done?
• According to WHO, GMO is the term used for an
organism, created through genetic engineering.

• WHO defines GMO as an organism either plant, animal or

microorganism, in which the genetic material has been
altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating or
natural recombination
The Process
On GE Mosquitoes

The use of GM male

mosquitoes as pest
control over female
carriers of Zika and
dengue virus.
Examples of GMO's in Food & Agricultural Industries

• According to CEEH, 2013.

• Pest resistance
Bt Corn

Asian Corn Borer

Bacillus thuringiensis
• Rainbow Papaya
• PRSV detrimental to
papaya plants.
• Herbicide tolerance
• Glyphosate (herbicide for
weeds)
• Fortification
• Golden rice (beta-carotene)
• Cosmetic Preservation
• Arctic apple (resist
dicoloration)
• Aquadvantage salmon
• Increase growth rate
 GMO's in Non Food Crops & Microorganisms

• Flower Production
• modified color & extended
vase life
• diverts anthocyanin
biosynthetic pathway to
production of delphinidine
glucosides, changes
flower to blue.
• Paper production
Ex: poplar trees for higher
yield of paper production
- genes that code for ferulic
acid in young poplar.
- harvest lignin
• Pharmaceutical
production
- modified to produce
pharmaceutical products
-Ex: periwinkle plants
- bacterial genes added to
periwinkle to enhance
vinblastine.
• Bioremediation
- assist in bioremediation of
polluted sites.
- Nicotiana glauca modified
with phytochelatin TaPCS11
used in bioremediation.
• Enzyme & drug production
- CGTase food flavor enhancer
- Bacillus modified with gene
from thermophilic
anaerobacter.
- Artemesinic acid (antimalarial
drug) produced by yeast &
bacteria, modified with sweet
wordwood plant gene.
• GMO's in medical field
Humulin- genetically
engineered human insulin.
- type 1 diabetes patients
insulin dependent.
 Benefits of GMO's

• Higher efficiency in farming- less pesticide application.

• Increase in harvest- crops developed resistance to pests.
• Control in fertility- control purity of hybrid seeds (GMO
seed) increases yield
• Increase in food processing- altered characteristics of
GMO crops.
• Improvement of desirable characteristics
• Nutritional & pharmaceutical enhancement
• Reduce the use of fertilizer & pesticides.
 Common Examples of Food with GMO's

• Kellogg's corn flakes Top 5 countries that

• Quaker Chewy granula bars operate GMO farmlands
• Ultra Slim fast • US
• Quaker yellow corn meal • Argentina
• Alpo dry pet food • Brazil
• India
• Canada
 Potential Risk of GMO

• Inadequate studies on GMO - GE is a young branch of

Science
• Promotes mutation of organisms- long term effects
unknown
• More allergic reaction side effects of gene mutation
• Antibiotic resistance- increases widespread of disease.
• Nutritional value ( food may change in their nutritional
value
 Potential Environmental Risks Caused by GMO's

• Risk in gene flow

modified gene from GE crops transferred to its wild relative
or to soil organism or to human intestine ( when ingested).
- no studies yet on the effects of absorb modified gene to
other organisms.
Emergence of new forms of resistance & secondary
pests and weed problems
Recombination of virus & bacteria (to create new
pathogens)

Karki (2006)
 Potential Human Health Risks Caused by GMO

• consumption may have adverse effects since it is not

organically / naturally grown.
• alter the balance of existing microorganisms in the
human digestive system.
• production of toxins detrimental to human health.
• production of allergens have adverse side effects on
humans.

Ahkter (2001)
• There are many groups worldwide that encourage
people to boycott GMO products and to be vigilant in
checking if foods they buy has GMO ingredients.

• The Philippines has ruled against the use of Bt eggplant

another GM crop. (Ongkiko,2016)
 Other Potential Risks that cause GMO Concern

• Human genome project- ability to produce genetic

information would create biases (advantageous to
people who holds the information, disadvantageous to
those who do not have genetic info).
• Mutation of GE organism (they become more resistant/
virulent, cause more dreadful diseases.
• Cloning- Asexual reproduction of an organism using
parent cell through GE.
 The First Cloned Sheep “Dolly”

• February 24,1997 from

Scotland, was born through
cloning.
• Created by Ian Wilmuth &
colleagues.
• With its celebrated success
came the fear of human
cloning.
• Due to the celebrated success of mammalian
cloning. It emerged the ethical issue of man,
playing with GOD.
 Biosafety on GMO's

• International organizations
developed principles &
treaties, that somehow
ensure biosafety on
GMO's.
• responsible for
development of
standards,codes of
practices, guidelines &
recommendations on
food safety.
• Cartagena Protocol on
Biosafety
- regulates the transboundary
movement of LMO's.
- it requires exporters to seek
consent from the importers
before its first shipment.
(WHO,2014)
• International agreement
on labelling of GM food
& food products
• label gives right to
importing parties to reject
or accept GM products.
( Whitman,2000)
 GMO's in the Philippine Context

• Please read the history of GMO's in the Philippine

Context on pp.145-147 (Prescribed STS book).

• In March 7.2016, 5 government agencies namely:

DOST, DENR, DoH, DILG, DoA passed a joint
Department circular No.1 series of 2016.
• Rules & regulations for the research and
development, handling and use,transboundary
movement, release in the environment &
management og GM plants and plant products
derived from the use of modern biotechnology.
• Joint department circular paves way to
issuance of new permits for planting and
importing GM crops in the country.
ASPECTS OF GENE THERAPY
 Lesson Objectives

• At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

• describe gene therapy and its various forms;

• assess the issue's potential benefits & detriments to
global health.
 Introduction

• Medical science has detected many human diseases

related to defective genes.

• These diseases cannot just be cured by taking readily

available medicines instead, gene therapy is a potential
method to either treat or cure genetic related human
illnesses.
 Introduction

• In 2015, team of
researchers from Harvard
Medical School & Boston
Children's Hospital
stated that “they were able
to restore the hearing of a
genetically deaf mice
using Gene Therapy.
 Introduction

• Boston Children's Hospital

(research team) also reported
that they were able to restore
a higher level of hearing in GE
mice up to 25 decibels.
• Anc80 was used to transfer
genes to inaccessible outer
hair cells when introduced into
cochlea( Fleisher 2017).
 History of Gene Therapy

• Started in 1971, when the

first rDNA were planned.
• Mechanism of Gene
therapy in the past:
insertion of foreign DNA into
a patient's tissue that hope
to succesfully eradicate the
targeted disease.
The Basic Process

• Replacement: mutated
gene to healthy copy
• Inactivation:mutant gene
functions improperly.
• Introduction: new gene to
help fight disease.
Recombinant DNA
 2 Types of Gene Therapy

• Somatic gene therapy

invoves the manipulation of
genes in cells that will be
helpfull to the patient but
not inherited to next
generation.
(Nimsergern,1988)
 Germ - line gene therapy

• Involves genetic
modification of germ cells
or the origin cells that will
pass the change on to
the next generation.
 The Concept of Stem Cells

• What is your understanding of stem

cells?

• What are the characteristics of stem cells

 Stem cell gene therapy

• Stem cells are the mother

cells that have the
potential to become any
type of cell in the body.
• It has the ability to self-
renew or multiply while
maintaining the potential to
develop into other types of
cells.
 Sources of Stem cells

• Embryonic stem cells

derive from a 4 or 5 day old
human embryo that is in the
blastocycst phase of
development.
- the embryos are usually extras
that have been created in IVF
where several eggs are fertilized
in a test tube then implanted into
a woman. (Crosta,2013)
 Somatic Stem Cel/ Adult Stem Cell

• Exist throughout the

body(after embryonic
development) and are
found inside different types
of tissues:
Brain,skeletal muscles,
blood vessels, bone
marrow, skin & liver.
Characteristics of Stem Cells
 The Bioethics of Gene Therapy
There are critical issues involved in gene therapy;
• How can good & bad uses of gene therapy be distiguished?
• Who decides which traits are normal & which constitute a
disability or disorder?
• Will the high cost of gene therapy make it available only to the
wealthy?
• Could the widespread use of gene therapy makes society less
accepting of people who are different?
• Should people be allowed to use gene therapy to enhance basic
human traits such as height, intellegence or athletic ability?