GENETIC

ENGINEERING
By Marta Romero Lérida
4ºB
 INDEX

1 2 3 4
WHAT IS IT? PROS AND CONS OF CHILDREN ON HUMANIZED
THE APPLICATIONS OF DEMAND
GENETIC ENGINEERING ORGANS
 1. What is genetic
engineering
-Genetic engineering (also called genetic modification) is a process that
uses laboratory technologies to alter the composition of an organism's
DNA in order to change the infomation it contains.
It goes directly to a cell's genes to manipulate genetic material for a
specific purpose, such as finding cures for human diseases...

OBJECTIVE:
-The goal of genetic engineering is to produce the desired characteristics
and eliminate the unwanted ones. Some examples of desired plant
characteristics are rapid growth, resistance to pests, and large size.

ORGANISM ALTERED BY GENETIC ENGINEERING:

Any organism with an altered genome due to genetic engineering is known
as GMO, genetically modified organism.
2. PROS AND CONS OF THE
APPLICATIONS
 2.1 PROS
Mitigation of
environmental Thanks to this, science
Cures can be sought has managed to cultivate
problems
for genetic diseases so plants with greater
that new generations tolerance to drought or
are born healthier. protected against
viruses.
Human genes responsible for
insulin production can also be
inserted into bacterial cells so
that high-quality insulin can be
obtained at low cost. These cells
Introduction of Increase in
can produce a large quantity as
healthy genes into they reproduce at a high speed. productive
diseased cells.
capacity

Potential to live longer or life

expectancy
2.1 IMPORTANT PROS
-Production of animals and plants with higher economic performance.
The benefits of this point are some such as: more nutritious foods, most appetizing foods., drought and disease resistant
plants, which require fewer environmental resources (such as water and fertilizer). Less use of pesticides and increased
food supply at a reduced cost and with a longer shelf life between other more benefits.

-It has already been used in some areas regarding crop:

-Thus, transgenesis and genetically modified organisms allowed obtaining crops tolerant to herbicides (TH) and resistant
to insects (Bt), advances that helped reduce production costs due to lower fuel consumption and amount of work and
applications and lessen the impact.
Antisense genes (in the opposite direction to a specific gene) are put in tomatoes, for example, in order to delay the
softening process.

-In which areas is genetic engineering used in animals the most?

Genetic modification has spread to a large number of species, such as the silkworm, to secrete collagen; or caterpillars,
carriers of spidroin, the protein responsible for the ultra-resistant spider thread (used to weave parachutes and bulletproof
vests).
 2.2 CONS
It can carry risks to
One of these dangers is It risks that increase
human health
the fact that behind the to the extent that
genetic manipulation They can become The extrapolation of the viral vectors are
projects are multinational carcinogenic in the case of procedure for non- commonly used to
companies very concerned being consumed by prone therapeutic purposes and transfer genes.
subjects or in a deficient negative impact on social
about economic interest.
immunological state. perception of somatic cell
However, this is a hypothesis,
editing.
but many doctors who are
against transgenic foods
affirm it.

Mutant viruses could be

It can “contaminate”
other non-transgenic
dangerous to health; and
plants. It can cause allergies, something that worries the producers of these for some of them,
foods a lot. It may be due to the transferred genetic material, the
perhaps, there is no
unexpected formation of an allergen, or a lack of information about the
protein that the inserted gene encodes. known cure.
 2.3 THE MOST
CONTROVERSIAL POINTS
Manipulation of human beings
-Genetic engineering can even pose risks to human health. Privacy of the genetic fingerprint
-The reproductive cloning is considered ethically wrong and that is why is legally
punishable. Making our fingerprints enter the public domain can
Cloning (clone production) has been a common practice in agriculture for many make us lose privacy and even produce discrimination
years. A plant can be cloned simply by taking a small fragment of the original due to our genetic traits.
plant (cutting) from which a new plant will grow.
Concern has been raised about the possibility that knowledge of a person's
genetic information could be missed.
However in other ambits, genetic manipulation could contribute to improving the Knowledge of human genome
quality of many foods we consume, in addition to increasing their production; it
could be the answer to the exhaustive search for a cure against many diseases It can lead us to a selection of an embryo or even
such as AIDS and cancer; it could also allow congenital diseases to be cured to choose the characteristics of our children.
even before birth, when the new being is made up of just a few cells; it would
Which is a point that we will treat later.
avoid the problem of donating organs for transplants, this with the cultivation of
stem cells.
 From my point of view
I think that the disadvantages are greater than the advantages since the world we know so far can change
a lot due to this advance and most of the advantages have other alternatives that are not genetic
engineering, for example, regarding transgenic food, it is true that it would be a great advance, but there
is enough food in the world to stop hunger and it is not necessary to resort to this variation in food. The
problem is not that we do not produce enough food for everyone, but that we do not distribute it well, so
World hunger would be a social problem.

With respect to making the new generations healthier, it would only be a benefit that rich people could
afford, since not everyone would have the money to afford it and I think it is not very ethical that diseases
can only be prevented in the children of rich people.

Regarding our body's reaction to viruses and diseases, it is true that it can be a benefit and that we
tolerate them better, but on the contrary, they can also mutate and be a serious problem for us if there is
no cure.

Lastly, or most worrisome on this issue, would be the misuse of genetic manipulation that could allow the
creation of new biological weapons that are impossible to combat; it has been thought that human
characteristics could be manipulated to create superior beings and form armies.

That is why I think that in some things it would be very beneficial, such as the development of cures and
research on them, but you have to be careful and not use it for other purposes.
 2.3 TO CONCLUDE
The opinion of most of the people is
the following:
GRAPHIC ABOUT PEOPLE"S
For some, genetic manipulation is a welcome OPINIONS
medical technique that could help eradicate
many diseases. For others, it is simply a
dangerous and immoral method that, if it falls
into the wrong hands, can lead to great
problems for humanity.
3. CHILDREN
ON DEMAND
 3.1 ARGUMENTS IN FAVOR
Cure of diseases Increase resistance to
It consists of directly manipulating and transferring the genes
of one organism to those of another. In a way, it consists of
infectious diseases.
mixing the genetic information of different living
beings to solve problems
or defects in one of them. Improve metabolism

Improve certain mental

Modify physical Create smarter people faculties of people.
appearance.
 3.2 ARGUMENTS AGAINST
Changing physical aspects
They affirm that harmful
like eye color can make
genetic mutations can be
everyone want to be produced in possible errors.
blonde with blue eyes and They can be very risky
tall for example or any modifications and the child
other stereotype making us can be born wrong if it does
not go as planned
all very similar.

Change the sexuality Ecological use it for other

Ending the risk of making
of people
biodiversity of imbalance purposes
mutations
This is immoral since you humans Having to deal with a lack Estudio final
of control due to a possible
cannot pretend that we ecological imbalance, since
As I have mentioned before, one
of the biggest concerns is that it
are all the same and genetically modifying living is used for other purposes, for
treat this issue as one beings would cause the example as weapons, modifying
more disease that must genes to be transferred with the genetic information of a
be removed. the modified sequences. person and practically creating a
killing machine.
3.2 ARGUMENTS AGAINST
There are records that only in India about 50 thousand girls a month are
Misogyny aborted. And with the possibility of "asking" the sex of the baby, hundreds
of abortions and deaths of women who cause abortions could be avoided.
issues But this also raises the question of whether it is legal to indiscriminately
choose the sex of the future baby and weight boys over girls.
 3.3 PROCESS
How are some of these modifications carried out?
A new gene-editing technology called “CRISPR-Cas9” makes it possible for scientists to easily and efficiently insert, delete, or correct DNA. It
offers the possibility of treating and even curing some diseases, such as sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis and some types of cancer. But
"germline editing" can make DNA changes, such as defining the color of a baby's eyes, an easy task for scientists working with human
embryos, eggs and sperm.

Correcting a faulty gene would require the intended parents to undergo assisted reproductive treatment, conceive the embryos, and
eliminate the disease-causing mutation in the embryo before implanting it. The process is relatively simple and suitable for any assisted
reproduction clinic.

Progress in some countries

Earlier this year, Chinese researchers were the first scientists in the world to announce that they had altered the DNA of human
embryos incapable of evolution, while British scientists have applied for the right to modify embryos for research purposes.
Chinese scientists modified an aberrant gene that causes a life-threatening blood disorder.

Among the countries that "tolerate" the genetic modification of embryos, eggs and sperm are the United States, China and the
United Kingdom, the latter more strictly.
3.4 First cases of genetic modification in people

This scientist changed the genome of two twins,

who are the first human beings in which this has
happened.
He used the CRISPR tool. He's declared intention was to modify the
CCR5 gene to confer resistance to the AIDS virus, since the girls'
parents were infected.
The Chinese authorities were against it, however; this experiment was
carried out and the scientist was sentenced to three years in prison.
Later it was learned that the scientist was aware that the genome of
the embryos contained unwanted errors, but even so he continued with
the procedure to achieve a pregnancy by in vitro fertilization.
The whereabouts of the girls who underwent the experiment are
unknown due to the social impact it could have.
 3.5 From my point of view
I think that partly, if it is used in a proper way, having experimented before and being safe, it would
be positive to be able to avoid diseases such as Down syndrome, even so, as I said before, only the
wealthiest people could afford it and it is a bit unfair although a great advance for science.

On the other hand, if the uses of this advance move away from treating diseases and focus more
on social things such as eye color or physical stereotypes created by society, I think it is ethically
wrong since it changes the biodiversity of the human being, while Just like changing your children's
sexuality or even gender as this should be treated as normal and not treated as a disease to be
avoided.
Also, the possibility of choosingmale gender over female gender is a big problem too since we
would be reversing all the progress of the fight for equality

There are records that only in India about 50 thousand girls a month are aborted. And with the
possibility of "asking" the sex of the baby, hundreds of abortions and deaths of women who cause
abortions could be avoided. But this also raises the question of whether it is legal to
indiscriminately choose the sex of the future baby and weight boys over girls.

And as I have also commented, one of the biggest problems would be that it be used as a
weapon.
 3.6 TO CONCLUDE
The opinion of most of the people is
Some films and books related to this
the following:
Some people totally disagree with the idea of ​making these topic:
modifications in humans since it is unnecessary and
dangerous as well as immoral and unethical since we cannot
The Gattaca film is a very useful tool for analyzing and
all be the same. On the other hand, there are people who,
discussing genetics and bioethics in class. Science has
for more religious reasons or their own thoughts, agree more
succeeded in placing its microscopic gaze inside the DNA of
with the idea and see it as a great advance. cells and, through specific techniques, sequencing the
genes that contain the biological information of organisms.

Brave New World warns of the dangers of giving the state control over new and powerful
technologies. One illustration of this theme is the rigid control of reproduction through
technological and medical intervention, including the surgical removal of ovaries, the
Bokanovsky Process, and hypnopaedic conditioning.
the book is about people who are not born from a mother, but are made artificial incubated fetuses. by English author:
(There is also a serie of this book called the same)
Aldous Huxley
4. HUMANIZED
ORGANS
 4.1 PROCESS
THE TECHNIQUE USED IS CALLED XENOTRASPLANTATION
The term is used to refer to organ transplants from animals to people. "The idea arose more than 30 years ago as a strategy to alleviate
the low rates of organ donation."
Xenotransplantation is the transplantation of cells, tissues or organs between phylogenetically different species.

WHY IS IT NECESSARY TO HUMANIZE ANIMAL ORGANS?

The main current problem in organ transplants is the gap that exists between the number of organs available for transplantation each
year and the number of patients waiting for a graft.
In this sense, animals could represent a practically unlimited source of organs for transplants, something that represents hope for the
future of many people. There is even talk of creating transgenic animals as "organic reservoirs for humans."

IS IT THE SAME THAN WITH HUMAN ORGANS?

For example, with hearts: although they are very similar, the two organs are not exactly the same and surgeons have had to
overcome these small anatomical differences to connect veins, arteries and nerves from the porcine heart to the thorax of
the xenotransplanted patient. the introduction of a pig's heart into a human thorax has been a challenge that these
surgeons have had to solve.
 4.1 PROCESS
ABOUT XENOTRANSPLANTATION
After many years of problems and many tests in animal models, especially What ethical issues do
in baboon primates and, after having achieved survival of several years in
xenotranslations raise?
these animals with genetically modified pig organs, it began to be
From an ethical point of view, Lluís
carried out in people. One trial considered a success was that of a
Montoliu considers that this
clinically dead woman who received a leg transplant from a pig kidney in
experimentation is justified, given that "the
September 2021. Then came the aforementioned pig heart xenotransplant
possible alterations in animal welfare
to a man.
caused to pigs by genetic modifications
Now scientists in the United States are exploring a new way to alleviate
are widely compensated with the ultimate
the organ deficit through the transformation of pig livers. The technique
goal of saving the lives of people who
consists of the "humanization" of these organs. It is a bioengineering
need a new organ to survive.
process that gradually modifies the organs, for now it is in an
experimental stage.
4.2 Successful transplanting an organ
from an animal to a human

Example of xenotransplantation:
The patient suffered from terminal heart disease, so this
genetically modified organ was his last hope.
It was a long operation and the only possibility for the
patient
“It has been a revolutionary surgery and brings us
one step closer to solving the organ shortage crisis.
There simply aren't enough donor human hearts
available to meet the long list of potential
recipients."
 What alternatives are instead of
humanized organs?

STEM CELLS
In the future, the use of stem cells
could allow the culture of human
organs for transplantation. A practice
that could completely eliminate the
risk of rejection since in theory these For the first time, scientists have managed
organs could be genetically modified to create an organ from stem cells. It is a
or come from the patient's own stem trachea, and the beneficiary was a 36-
cells. year-old man who had incurable cancer.
 4.3 RISKS AND
DISADVANTAGES
Your body's immune system is designed to seek out
and destroy any foreign object it finds in the body, Not everyone is willing
IMMUNE REJECTION to receive an animal
COMPATIBILITY
such as a cold or flu virus, or a transplanted organ.
The process of destroying the transplanted organ organ. Different
is called rejection. religious denominations
THE OPERATION do not approve this
WANT TO ACCEPT IT type of transplant.

Is also more complex and in countries without

DISEASE
It is already difficult to find
universal healthcare, health insurance does not TRANSMISSION
organs from other humans that
cover this type of procedure.
do not generate rejection in
the recipient, but in the case of
xenotransplants the risk of This means that the success rates in this type of It is important to remember that many
transplant are still low and it is only valued as serious infectious diseases that humanity
acute rejection increases.
the last option in many cases. has suffered throughout its history have
originated in animals.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

https://apps.who.int/mediacentre/news/notes/2005/np08/es/index.html#:
~:text=El%20riesgo%20m%C3%A1s%20importante%20de,su%20origen%20e
n%20los%20animales.
https://www.elsevier.es/es-revista-cirugia-espanola-36-articulo-xenotrasplantes-una-realidad-cercana-
practica-
S0009739X16302214#:~:text=Los%20xenotrasplantes%20son%20el%20trasplante,en%20espera%20de%20u
n%20injerto.
https://hospital.uillinois.edu/es/primary-and-specialty-care/trasplante/trasplante-de-higado/proceso-para-
el-transplante-de-higado-y-que-esperar/inmunosupresion-y-
rechazo#:~:text=%C2%BFQu%C3%A9%20es%20el%20Rechazo%3F,%C3%B3rgano%20trasplantado%20es%20ll
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https://revistanefrologia.com/es-aspectos-eticos-psicosociales-xenotrasplantes-articulo-
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http://www.bioeticayderecho.ub.edu/ca/articulo-hijos-la-carta-por-
maria-casado

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