Question

What is the process of gene therapy?

Answer 1

Gene:

The hereditary unit that transfer from one generation to other are called genes.

Gene therapy:

1. Gene therapy is an experimental treatment that adds a new gene or reconstructs or repairs a mutated (changed) gene inside the body's cells to help prevent various diseases.
2. French Anderson discovered it and is known as the father of gene therapy.
3. There are two types of gene therapy: Somatic and Germline.
4. In somatic method, therapeutic genes are transferred into the somatic cells or the stem cells of the human body.
5. Germline process involves introducing a healthy DNA into the cells responsible for producing reproductive cells, eggs or sperms.

Advantages:

1. It can be used to treat hereditary diseases.
2. The gene therapy eliminates the chance of disease transmission to future successive generation.

Applications:

1. It is used in the replacement of genes that cause medical ill-health.
2. The method generally destroys the problem causing genes.
3. It helps the body to fight against diseases by adding genes to the human body.
4. It may be used to treat certain inherited disorders, such as cystic fibrosis, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, hemophilia, beta thalassemia, and sickle cell disease.
5. It can also be used to treat cancers or infections, including HIV.