Recombinant DNA Technology: The Promise and the Price

Recombinant DNA technology or DNA cloning is the transfer of a DNA fragment to a shell, or a self replicating genetic element such as bacterial plasmids.

A selected trait is to be identified in the DNA structure of the cell, and then it is isolated, cut and then placed in the DNA strand of the nucleus of a vessel. This vessel is often times a bacterial plasmid because of its resiliency in accepting new DNA codes and replicating it every time it divides and reproduce. The reason why it is called DNA cloning is that the DNA is being transferred and is being replicated unnaturally by the means of the vessel.

Stem cell therapy truly is one of the most promising because of its possibility to cure almost anything, and can be made to almost everybody. Stem cells are the master cells of the body which have the ability to turn to any type of tissue depending on the triggers of the environment. Scientists have learned to utilize these cells and were able to generate any kind of tissue from these cells. From these cells too, they can generate a real functioning organ for anyone. Just take a stem cell and remove its nucleus, replace it with your own nucleus and you can grow any organ you need.

1.   Adult stem cells are taken from adults, children, infants, the placenta and the umbilical cord. The process of taking these kinds of stem cells is safe and will not harm the host.

2.      Embryonic stem cells however, are more flexible but less stable compared to adult stem cells. These are taken from human embryos, but the feedback is that the embryo is destroyed in the process.

Stem cells had been already used by many doctors for curing ailments. Heart diseases, especially those which are caused by damaged heart tissues can be cured by stem cell therapy. Replacing the damaged heart tissue with the stem cell, this triggers the stem cell to form to a heart tissue and multiply and replace the space of the damaged tissue. Cancer patients can also be saved by adding stem cells to the tumors, which then changes to cells that regulates the division of cells, causing the cancer cells to shrink and soon be extruded out of the body.

RNA therapy is less popular than stem cell therapy but is also as helpful. Though it started a very hard road to become legitimate, more advancements helped people harness the knowledge to utilize the RNA.

Viruses that are made in the lab are needed for the therapy. These viruses are stripped off of its RNA that infects people with diseases and are replaced by the wanted trait from another cell.

1.      An RNA sequence of the desired trait is cut from another cell’s chromosome.

2.      This RNA is injected to the virus’ nuclei and uses the virus like a messenger.

3.      They let the virus enter the host cell and delivers the RNA, replacing the undesired sequence in the chromosome of the host cell.

4.      When the host cell divides, the sequence is maintained and the desired trait is being reproduced as well.

The delivered RNA interacts with the mutated cancer RNA and triggers a response to the cell which causes it to self-destruct preventing further production of cancerous cells.

Many controversies envelope the once nightmare, cloning. Cloning of animals is already common. Human cloning can be underway but ethical issues hinder its proceeds.

  By knowing how to utilize stem cells, the DNA processes and nuclei replacement, scientists enabled them to create a clone of a sheep, named dolly. Grown in the lab and transplanted to the womb of a host mother, already an embryo, dolly was the first mammal to be cloned.

   A clone is the exact copy of the individual being copied. It possesses the same DNA sequence as the master copy. The clone then can be altered to have a perfect physical body with no flaws genetically or physically.

Dolly the sheep died only a few years after birth. Human cloning might end up the same, leaving people more heart broken.

The clones can be altered using the knowledge of recombinant DNA technology, removing flaws present from the original individual. This results to a physically perfect individual, but will the society be morally straight to create a human life out of a test tube with no parents?

God created Eve from Adam’s rib. God may have been the first geneticist to successfully clone a human being and altering it to become a different gender, but that was God. It was His first and last clone project and because He wanted man to reproduce naturally, not artificially, and creating clones of humans proves that you proclaim you are God.

Stem cells are hard to extract from the body. The body of an individual also needs this for maintenance and repairs of the body. It is finite and as the body’s reserve run low, that’s when we age and soon, die. But knowledge of this and further advancements of technology, we may acquire eternal youth.

Some viruses are very difficult to handle, especially those who carry many infections and are very dangerous to come in contact with. Different purposes of replacements need different kinds of viruses. More species of viruses are being discovered safer to use.

Because recombinant DNA technology is just an emerging technology in the field of medicine, the cost is still high and most people can’t afford to undergo procedures of this technology. Further advancements may enable people to have a more affordable version of the technology.

With the world concerned of the future of science and the events that may follow every step taken, each advancements are reviewed and checked thoroughly in case it might lead to a breakdown of society. But it is still too early for ethics to govern over the acquisition of knowledge and discoveries. Science should be free and let it fly to the sky, before it escapes our grasp, until it is within the reach of our gravity, it should be free to expand and discover new things.