Sentinel
2nd January 2007, 06:07
Animal testing, yes or no, has been one of the more popular topics in this forum since it's creation. Being absolutely convinced that vivisection is a necessary tool of research, I'm always on the look for more facts about it. Looking for material on the role of animals in research, I found this very interesting article on how some of our animal friends are contributing to a huge breakthrough in science by us humans altering their genes.
They are called transgenic animals, and might just change the course of our future on earth completely if used for the benefit of the entire society in a sane and rational, communist way. They can make our agriculture supereffective, which is crucial if we aspire to feed the growing global human population, as well as be used for medical purposes; not only can we increasingly make them produce medicines for humans in their milk, but in the future we'll most likely be able to grow human organs in them for transplantation purposes.
The article (http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/margawati.html), Transgenic Animals:Their Benefits To Human Welfare
By Endang Tri Margawati
Originally posted by excerpt of the article
How do transgenic animals contribute to human welfare?
The benefits of these animals to human welfare can be grouped into areas:
* Agriculture
* Medicine
* Industry
The examples below are not intended to be complete but only to provide a sampling of the benefits.
Transgenesis will allow larger herds with specific traits.
1. Agricultural Applications
a) breeding
Farmers have always used selective breeding to produce animals that exhibit desired traits (e.g., increased milk production, high growth rate).11,15,17 Traditional breeding is a time-consuming, difficult task. When technology using molecular biology was developed, it became possible to develop traits in animals in a shorter time and with more precision. In addition, it offers the farmer an easy way to increase yields.
Scientists can improve the size of livestock genetically.
b) quality
Transgenic cows exist that produce more milk or milk with less lactose or cholesterol12, pigs and cattle that have more meat on them8,17, and sheep that grow more wool18. In the past, farmers used growth hormones to spur the development of animals but this technique was problematic, especially since residue of the hormones remained in the animal product.
Disease-resistant livestock is not a reality just yet.
c) disease resistance
Scientists are attempting to produce disease-resistant animals, such as influenza-resistant pigs, but a very limited number of genes are currently known to be responsible for resistance to diseases in farm animals.19
Transplant organs may soon come from transgenic animals.
2. Medical Applications
a) xenotransplantation
Patients die every year for lack of a replacement heart, liver, or kidney. For example, about 5,000 organs are needed each year in the United Kingdom alone.25 Transgenic pigs may provide the transplant organs needed to alleviate the shortfall.9 Currently, xenotransplantation is hampered by a pig protein that can cause donor rejection but research is underway to remove the pig protein and replace it with a human protein.25
Milk-producing transgenic animals are especially useful for medicines.
b) nutritional supplements and pharmaceuticals
Products such as insulin, growth hormone, and blood anti-clotting factors may soon be or have already been obtained from the milk of transgenic cows, sheep, or goats.3,12,23 Research is also underway to manufacture milk through transgenesis for treatment of debilitating diseases such as phenylketonuria (PKU), hereditary emphysema, and cystic fibrosis.3,13,23,25
In 1997, the first transgenic cow, Rosie, produced human protein-enriched milk at 2.4 grams per litre. This transgenic milk is a more nutritionally balanced product than natural bovine milk and could be given to babies or the elderly with special nutritional or digestive needs.4,21,23 Rosie's milk contains the human gene alpha-lactalbumin.
A transgenic cow exists that produces a substance to help human red cells grow.
c) human gene therapy
Human gene therapy involves adding a normal copy of a gene (transgene) to the genome of a person carrying defective copies of the gene. The potential for treatments for the 5,000 named genetic diseases is huge and transgenic animals could play a role. For example, the A. I. Virtanen Institute in Finland produced a calf with a gene that makes the substance that promotes the growth of red cells in humans.24
Uses in industry include material fabrication and safety tests of chemicals.
3. Industrial Applications
In 2001, two scientists at Nexia Biotechnologies in Canada spliced spider genes into the cells of lactating goats. The goats began to manufacture silk along with their milk and secrete tiny silk strands from their body by the bucketful. By extracting polymer strands from the milk and weaving them into thread, the scientists can create a light, tough, flexible material that could be used in such applications as military uniforms, medical microsutures, and tennis racket strings.1
Toxicity-sensitive transgenic animals have been produced for chemical safety testing. Microorganisms have been engineered to produce a wide variety of proteins, which in turn can produce enzymes that can speed up industrial chemical reactions.
They are called transgenic animals, and might just change the course of our future on earth completely if used for the benefit of the entire society in a sane and rational, communist way. They can make our agriculture supereffective, which is crucial if we aspire to feed the growing global human population, as well as be used for medical purposes; not only can we increasingly make them produce medicines for humans in their milk, but in the future we'll most likely be able to grow human organs in them for transplantation purposes.
The article (http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/margawati.html), Transgenic Animals:Their Benefits To Human Welfare
By Endang Tri Margawati
Originally posted by excerpt of the article
How do transgenic animals contribute to human welfare?
The benefits of these animals to human welfare can be grouped into areas:
* Agriculture
* Medicine
* Industry
The examples below are not intended to be complete but only to provide a sampling of the benefits.
Transgenesis will allow larger herds with specific traits.
1. Agricultural Applications
a) breeding
Farmers have always used selective breeding to produce animals that exhibit desired traits (e.g., increased milk production, high growth rate).11,15,17 Traditional breeding is a time-consuming, difficult task. When technology using molecular biology was developed, it became possible to develop traits in animals in a shorter time and with more precision. In addition, it offers the farmer an easy way to increase yields.
Scientists can improve the size of livestock genetically.
b) quality
Transgenic cows exist that produce more milk or milk with less lactose or cholesterol12, pigs and cattle that have more meat on them8,17, and sheep that grow more wool18. In the past, farmers used growth hormones to spur the development of animals but this technique was problematic, especially since residue of the hormones remained in the animal product.
Disease-resistant livestock is not a reality just yet.
c) disease resistance
Scientists are attempting to produce disease-resistant animals, such as influenza-resistant pigs, but a very limited number of genes are currently known to be responsible for resistance to diseases in farm animals.19
Transplant organs may soon come from transgenic animals.
2. Medical Applications
a) xenotransplantation
Patients die every year for lack of a replacement heart, liver, or kidney. For example, about 5,000 organs are needed each year in the United Kingdom alone.25 Transgenic pigs may provide the transplant organs needed to alleviate the shortfall.9 Currently, xenotransplantation is hampered by a pig protein that can cause donor rejection but research is underway to remove the pig protein and replace it with a human protein.25
Milk-producing transgenic animals are especially useful for medicines.
b) nutritional supplements and pharmaceuticals
Products such as insulin, growth hormone, and blood anti-clotting factors may soon be or have already been obtained from the milk of transgenic cows, sheep, or goats.3,12,23 Research is also underway to manufacture milk through transgenesis for treatment of debilitating diseases such as phenylketonuria (PKU), hereditary emphysema, and cystic fibrosis.3,13,23,25
In 1997, the first transgenic cow, Rosie, produced human protein-enriched milk at 2.4 grams per litre. This transgenic milk is a more nutritionally balanced product than natural bovine milk and could be given to babies or the elderly with special nutritional or digestive needs.4,21,23 Rosie's milk contains the human gene alpha-lactalbumin.
A transgenic cow exists that produces a substance to help human red cells grow.
c) human gene therapy
Human gene therapy involves adding a normal copy of a gene (transgene) to the genome of a person carrying defective copies of the gene. The potential for treatments for the 5,000 named genetic diseases is huge and transgenic animals could play a role. For example, the A. I. Virtanen Institute in Finland produced a calf with a gene that makes the substance that promotes the growth of red cells in humans.24
Uses in industry include material fabrication and safety tests of chemicals.
3. Industrial Applications
In 2001, two scientists at Nexia Biotechnologies in Canada spliced spider genes into the cells of lactating goats. The goats began to manufacture silk along with their milk and secrete tiny silk strands from their body by the bucketful. By extracting polymer strands from the milk and weaving them into thread, the scientists can create a light, tough, flexible material that could be used in such applications as military uniforms, medical microsutures, and tennis racket strings.1
Toxicity-sensitive transgenic animals have been produced for chemical safety testing. Microorganisms have been engineered to produce a wide variety of proteins, which in turn can produce enzymes that can speed up industrial chemical reactions.