people suffering from diabetes - cannot control amt of sugar in their blood. Insulin is needed to treat such patients. Insulin obtained from pancreas of slaughtered animals.
- However animal insulin is not same as human insulin. → Many diabetics develop antibodies against animal insulin after prolonged treatment. such patients become allergic to animal insulin + can no longer use animal insulin to control their diabetes.
- Diseases may also be transmitted from animals to humans who use animal insulin
Advantages of Genetically Engineered Insulin
- Insulin produced by genetic engineering is identical as ordinary human insulin.
| Advantages of Genetically Engineered Insulin |
|---|
| Does not induce allergic response in patient as insulin produced is identical to human insulin (unlike animal DNA) |
| It is easier and cheaper to produce insulin in large quantities. |
| There is lesser risk of contamination by disease causing microorganisms like bacteria as compared to insulin obtained from the pancreas of animals |
| The ethical concerns of vegetarians or religious groups can be overcome. e.g. vegetarians will object to use of insulin obtained from animals. |
| Genes can be transferred from human cells to bacterial cells. |
| → enables us to transfer gene of interest → which makes up human insulin → to bacterial cells |
| → Bacteria acquire foreign gene. |
| → Foreign gene causes bacteria to produce insulin → substance which is not normally produced by bacteria. |
| → Org. that has foreign gene inserted into its genome or DNA is called Transgenic Organism |
Restriction Enzyme and Sticky Ends
Restriction Enzyme and Sticky Ends
Producing Transgenic Bacteria to Manufacture Insulin
Producing Transgenic Bacteria to Manufacture Insulin