"Science and Biotechnology Books Made Simple" |
"Science and Biotechnology Books Made Simple" |
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Source-
BBC NEWS
12/17/01
Restoring Vision Through Cell Transplant Scientists
in the United Kingdom have developed a method that could lead to a
treatment for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a disease in which
retinal pigment epithelial (RPE), cells that support the retina, lose
their function. The
scientists transplanted human RPE cells to restore vision to rats whose
retina degenerated after birth. The
experiment is published in the journal Nature Neuroscience.
Source-
Detroit Free Press
12/6/01
Creating The Perfect Christmas Tree Scientists
in North Carolina are using cross breeding and genetic engineering to
create Christmas trees that are taller, bushier, less likely to lose
needles, and more resistant to disease. North
Carolina State University researchers were the first to clone Fraser firs
in the mid-1980's, the most popular Christmas tree in the country. Cloning
trees means cutting from a plant and use it to grow a replica. In some
plants, such as geraniums, the procedure involves sticking a section of
the stem in soil and letting it take root. However, it is more difficult
with trees. For example, with Fraser firs, it involves chopping adult
trees to knee-level, wait for the stumps to sprout green shoots, clipping
the shoots and growing them in a greenhouse. Hormones are then added to
the shoots until they grow their own roots. A slight change in temperature
or humidity can prevent the roots from growing. Source-
Daily News
11/25/01 Cloning Human Embryo A
company, Advanced Cell Technology, located in Massachusetts has announced
that it has cloned an embryo for stem cells used to treat diseases. Embryonic
stem cells can grow into any kind of specific cells/tissue in the body.
Researchers removed the DNA from an egg cell and replaced it with DNA from
the nucleus of the adult cell. The egg began to divide in a similar way as
if it had been fertilized by a sperm. However, it did not continue to
become a fetus. The same technology was used to clone sheep and cattle. The
procedure drew a lot of controversy. The company stressed that the
method was done only for the purpose of cloning cells and tissues- a
technique that will result in producing treatments for many diseases, such
as diabetes, Parkinson's, AIDS and cancer. However, the company admitted
that if the cloned cells, or embryo, were placed in a woman's womb, it
could possibly have grown into a human being! Source-
BBC News
11/18/01 A Blood Test For Down's Syndrome A
simple blood test was developed by Chinese scientists that screens for
Down's syndrome. The blood is taken from pregnant women and screened using
a technique called fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH). Down's
syndrome patients have a trisomy (three copies) of chromosome 21 as
opposed to the normal two copies. The
current screening of the syndrome is through invasive techniques, known as
amniocentesis or chorionic
villus sampling. Both involve removal of tissue from the developing fetus
for analysis. Women
who test positive for the syndrome should get proper counseling and
support. The
study was published in the medical journal Lancet. Source-
Guardian Unlimited
11/16/01 A Gene That Makes Forget-Me-Not Remember Scientists
at the John Innes Centre at Norwich, England, have found a gene, VRN2
(known as vernalisation), that allows plants to "remember" a
period of cold weather. Vernalisation
is when flowering occurs following a cold period of cold temperatures. The
gene sequence was identified from a tiny weed, a member of the mustard
family. The
experiments demonstrated that if the plant was kept in the cold for a
month and then moved to the warmth, flowering was accelerated because of
the VRN2 gene which provided memory for the plant. The
study was published in the prestigious journal, Cell. Source-
Yahoo-Biotechnology Online
11/11/01 Two Genes Work Together To Promote Breast Cancer Scientists
at the Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam studied the relationship
between two genes, p53 and BRCA2 in promoting breast cancer. Mice
genetically engineered to carry defects in both p53 and BRCA2 had a high
rate of developing tumors than mice with only one defective gene. p53
gene is important in instructing abnormal cells to kill themselves. In
more than half of all cancers, p53 is defective and abnormal cells are
allowed to grow into tumors. BRCA2 gene is known to play a role in about
one third of all hereditary breast cancers. Source-
Allafrica.com
11/01/01 Genetically Modified Maize and Potatoes Scientists
at Kenya Agriculture and Research Institute (Kari) have developed a
variety of genetically modified potato and maize that are
disease-resistant and could have better yield. The
two crops are among the major staple foods consumed in Kenya, Africa. This
could help the country in alleviating poverty among their people. The
modified crops are undergoing trials and biosafety measures at various
Kari stations.
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