Question

(a) Why are transgenic animals so called?
(b) Explain the role of transgenic animals in (i) Vaccine safety and (ii) Biological products with the help of an example each.

Answer 1

(a) Transgenic animals have their DNA manipulated as they possess and express foreign gene.

(b) (i) The role of transgenic animals in vaccine safety: Transgenic mice are being used to test the safety of the polio vaccine before they are used on humans.

(ii) The role of transgenic animals in biological products: Medicines which are required to treat many human diseases contain certain biological products which are expensive to make. These products can be produced by transgenic animals by induction of genes in them which code for particular product e.g. human protein (alpha - 1 - antitrypsin).