biology

• Four hot topics in biotechnology


  • Biotechnology
  • Cloning
  • Genetically modified food
  • Stem Cells
  • DNA Fingerprinting
• Biotechnology


  The engineering of organisms for useful purposes
• Biotechnology


  • Chimera (a mixture of a goat and a sheep)
• Animal Cloning


  Megan and Morag, the world's first cloned mountain sheep
• Why Clone Animals?


  • To answer questions of basic biology
  • For herd improvement
  • To make us happy (e.g. pet cloning)
  • For pharmaceutical production
• Animal Cloning


  • Prometea, the first cloned horse (in foreground) with her identical twin and surrogate mother Stella
  • First Cloned Mule
• Cloning Process


  1. Egg cell taken from surrogate mother

  2. DNA removed from egg cell

  3. Udder cell taken from organism being cloned

  4. Udder cell fused with "blank" egg cell

  5. Electricity stimulates fused cell to begin dividing into an embryo
• Cloning


  • The First Cloned Pet "Carbon Copy"
  • Rainbow and her clone "cc"
• If they are clones, why aren't they identical?
• Clone


  An exact genetic copy. Offspring are produced asexually.
• Types of Cloning


  • Transgenic (gene) cloning
  • Therapeutic (stem cell) cloning
  • Reproductive (organism) cloning
• Transgenic Organisms


  • Contain another species' genes within their chromosomes
  • First transgenic organisms were bacteria
  • Benefits include animal models, pharmaceutical production, organ donors, livestock improvement
• Production of transgenic animals


  1. The transgene is introduced into a single-cell embryo

  2. The embryo is transferred to a surrogate mother of the same strain

  3. Success rate is low (10%-30%) in mice, decreases in mammals
• Therapeutic Cloning


  Procedure used to produce embryonic stem cells that theoretically can be used to treat diseases
• Types of Stem Cells


  • Embryonic
  • Adult
  • Amniotic
• Therapeutic cloning does not always use a fertilized egg, but the embryo has the potential to become a living thing if transplanted into the uterus
• Therapeutic Cloning


  • Real advantage is the production of perfect-match tissue
  • Embryonic stem cells pick up cues from neighboring cells and differentiate into that cell type
  • Stem cells hoped to be used to treat heart disease, Parkinson's disease, other nervous system disorders
• Reproductive Cloning


  • Goal is to create a new organism, human or animal
  • Obstacles include very low success rate, problems during fetal development, and additional problems after birth and years later
• The answer to whether animal cloning is ethical can't be determined by scientists alone
• Bioethics


  The study of the ethical controversies brought about by advances in medicine and biotechnology
• Bioethics


  Concerned with the questions that arise based on integrity, justice and respect, surrounding advancements made in biology, medicine and the sciences
• Bioethics


  • Theory
  • Principle
  • Rule
  • Action
• Case studies 1


  • Jehova's witness
  • 16 year old male
  • Car accident
  • Requires surgery
  • Parents will not allow blood products to be used
  • Patient refuses blood products
• Autonomy


  Self-rule that is free from both controlling interference by others and from certain limitations such as an inadequate understanding that prevents meaningful choice
• Beneficence


  • Providing a benefit to another
  • Principle of beneficence: a moral obligation to act for the benefit of others
  • Protect and defend rights of others
  • Help persons with disabilities
  • Rescue persons in danger
• Nonmaleficence


  • An obligation to not inflict harm on others
  • First do no harm
  • Distinct from Beneficence
  • Obligations not to harm (rob or kill)
  • Obligations to help others (rescue a drowning child)
  • Withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining treatment
  • Intended effects and merely foreseen effects
• Justice


  • Fair and just distribution of social burdens, benefits, opportunities and allocation of positions
  • Justice and Distributive Justice: fair, equitable and appropriate distribution determined by social norms
  • Access to Health Care
  • Selection of Research subject population
• Case 2: Volleyball Player


  • Infection in her leg
  • 60% Chance of recovery with antibiotics alone
  • 80% Chance of recovery with antibiotics and amputation of the leg
  • Parents want doctors to amputate the leg, patient would like to only take antibiotics
• Case 3: Pain relief in Hospice


  • 86 year old man
  • Pancreatic Cancer
  • Hospice and Palliative Care
  • Refuses all pain medication
  • Staff and other patients are upset at "screams of agony"
• Interdependencies between species


  • Ecosystems
  • Population – Size, distribution and density
  • Relationships between species –Mutualism, Commensalism, Predation
  • Keystone species
• Standards


  • A food web that matter is transferred from one organism to another and can recycle between organisms and their environment.
  • Changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of both individuals and entire species.
  • Relationships between organisms that are competitive or mutually beneficial.
• Interdependent


  Two or more things that depend on each other
• What other factors are all of these organisms dependent upon?

  • Environment
• Concepts for Review


  • Organisms can change over time
  • Organisms adapt to their environment
  • What happens if an organism does not adapt?
  • If organisms do not adapt, then the organism or population can die out (become extinct)
• All living things need resources and these resources come from the environment
• The environment can only support so many organisms
• As the prey decreases


  There is less food for the predator, so they die off
• The fewer predators


  The easier it is for the prey to reproduce, so their population shoots up
• As more food is available


  The predator population jumps
• The predator begins over eating their food supply

  The prey decreases