AP Biology Fall 2010 Biotech Barnyards

Transgenic Animals

 In 1982, the rat gene for somatotropin production was introduced into mouse eggs  The mice, which subsequently expressed the rat gene, grew larger than their littermates

Transgenic Animals

 Genetically engineered animals have been used as sources of pharmaceuticals

Transgenic Animals

 Goats have produced TPA for diminishing the severity of heart attacks and CFTR used in the treatment of cystic fibrosis  Rabbits produce interleukin-2, which stimulates division of T-lymphocytes in the immune response

Transgenic Animals

 Genetic engineering could also lead to healthier animals, just as natural breeding practices have for thousands of years

Knockout Cells and Organ Factories  Xenotransplantation is the transferring of an organ from one species to another  “Xeno” means stranger  Pigs can be engineered to lack certain genes that could cause rejection problems when their organs are transplanted to humans