Wednesday, October 17, 2018

The Composition Of Things With A Genetically Engineered Organelle

By Mark Thomas


The thing about the body that a human being comes packaged in is that its not just one singular entity. Yes, it may look that way, but its in fact made of up of several different and interconnected parts, each layering over or working alongside the other into create a singular person. That is true in pretty much everything in life. Nothing is ever just one thing. It is always made up of smaller parts. In the same sense, the most infinitesimal of building blocks also have building blocks of their own, which can be controlled to some extent, like in the case of a genetically engineered organelle.

The first thing to do is to explain just what exactly an organelle is. It is a lot like the internal organs that a human body has in order to properly function. The main difference is that it is obviously a lot smaller.

Now, given that they are akin to internal organs, organelles do quite a few things. Take for example the nucleus. It is the command center of the cell, in essence, responsible the reproduction as well as growth of that particular cell.

Now, on to genetic engineering. In essence, the main thrust of the concept in the name is in the title itself. It is when the genetics of an organic creature are engineered, usually to make it something better. It is when base traits of an organism are modified to some extent.

There is a lot that can be done with genetic engineering. Take agriculture of example. Not only can crops be modified so that they produce higher yield, they can also be made more resistant to pesticides and even less enticing to pests. Then there the potential applications to it with people. The genetic predispositions to things like cancer and obesity can be eliminated before a baby is even born.

But there are some ethical implications to the practice. For example, there are those who fear the concept of designer babies, where germ line editing is done to an embryo in order to remove the risk of things like heart disease and other diseases. But there are those who fear that this will lead to a recurrence in eugenics.

Scientists who can conduct the requisite experiments can be found. They are not going to be easily found, but they do exist. A quick search for specialist in the field of biology and chemistry and genetics should lead to some names. Another great way is to go to a research university, where many of the professors teaching there are also high level scientists.

But, the scientific method should be observed at all times. Most scientists will not have to be reminded of this. Not to mention that the experiments should start slow. Human testing is not something that should be attempted right away. Then there are the ethics. It is advisable that the experiments conducted come with a minimal risk of injury.

It used to be that control was an illusion. But its now a reality to some extent. And as time progresses, that extent will only get extended.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment