- 1.Genetics Research Project By: Alex Li and Eoghan McGee
Mrs.Martinez Period 8
2. Basic Principles of Genetics
- Traits that are controlled by dominant alleles always show up
when the allele is present.
- Traits controlled by recessive alleles are masked when the
dominant allele is present.
- When two traits are co-dominant, neither trait is dominant or
recessive. As a result, both traits are visible.
- When two parents create an offspring, the offspring gets one
allele for each trait from both parents. The passing of traits from
parents to offspring is called heredity.
3.
- The Human Genome Project started in 1990 and the projects main
objective was to find DNA sequence of every gene in the human
body
- Ethical implications: They (Christians) say the embryos, which
must be destroyed to harvest ESCs, have the same moral status as
adult humans and must not be used in research to which they,
obviously, cannot consent.
- Legal implications: The senate, house of reps, president, and
court has to approve it and that takes a long time based on
opinions. It would cost even more for funding.
- Social implications: People might treat people differently so
the people will have to keep it to there selves so they will be
accepted.
- On May 21st, President Bush signed into law the Genetic
Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), which prohibits U.S.
insurance companies and employers from discriminating on the basis
of information derived from genetic tests.
4. Genetic Disorders
-
- Single gene disorder - Caused by the alteration of a single
gene in a persons DNA and they often run in families.
- Examples- Cystic Fibrosis, Sickle-Cell Disease
-
- Chromosome abnormalities-Usually results when an error occurs
in the development of an egg or sperm cell. The cell will have
either too many or too little chromosomes resulting in an embryo
with chromosome abnormalities.
-
- Multi-factorial disorders-Caused by many factors such as the
effects of multiple genes, lifestyle, and environmental
conditions.
- Examples- Diabetes, Heart Disease
2.Genetic Counseling -Genetic counseling provides support and
information for people who have, or are at risk of having, a
genetic disease. Genetic counselors use karyotypes, pedigree
charts, and Punnett squares to help them in their work. They
calculate the data to give couples a percent chance of their child
having a genetic disease. This can make parents think deeply about
whether they wish to have children or not. They may not want to
pass their disease onto their children so they may not have any.
3.Karyotypes -Karyotypes are pictures of homologous chromosomes
lined up during Metaphase 1 of Meiosis. Geneticists can use
karyotypes to predict genetic disorders by studying them and seeing
if a person has an abnormal amount of chromosomes, missing parts of
chromosomes, or mixed up pieces of chromosomes. 5. Cloning
- A clone is an organism that is genetically the same as the
organism its was cloned of. Scientists now can clone plants and
animals. They can also produce organisms with desired traits in a
process called genetic engineering. In the past, humans have
manipulated genomes indirectly through selective breeding. In
genetic engineering, scientists are directly manipulating one or
more genes. Often, genes from another species will be added to
change the appearance of the organism.
One controversial issue right now is whether reproductive
cloning should be allowed or not. Some say that it isnt right for
humans to be manufactured but others say that reproductive cloning
is a way for sterile couples to have children. Another issue is
therapeutic cloning. In this case, scientists are only harvesting
stem cells from human embryos. On both accounts, you have people
for them, and against them. 6. Harvesting Stem Cells Pro 1 -
Cures
- Stem cells are cells that can become or change into various
types of cells. Stem cells can be used to provide cures for many
diseases such as diabetes, Parkinsons, Alzheimer's and many more.
Currently, 18.8 million people in the US are diagnosed with
diabetes and around 1.5 million people have Parkinsons disease. The
continuation of stem cell research and harvesting stem cells can
lead to finding a cure for them.
Diabetes is on the rise in the US. 7.
- Embryonic stem cells are the most common type of stem cell used
and they are found in a developing embryo. However, to harvest them
means destroying the embryo, a human life. This raises the
question, What is the youngest of human life? Is it person or
property? asks Senator Sam Brownback. According to him, if you
start out a human, you end up a human. If you start out an
inanimate object, you end up one. Therefore, isnt extracting stem
cells from a human embryo on the same plane as murder.
Harvesting Stem Cells Con 1 Sacrificing Humans 8. Pro 2
- Even though harvesting stem cells require destroying an embryo,
that doesnt mean having to kill someones child. Right now, there
are about 400,000 frozen embryos at in vitro fertilization clinics.
Around 10,000 of these are discarded every year. Instead of
throwing them out, scientists can gather stem cells from them.
9. Con 2
- There eventually wont be any more spare embryos left for stem
cell research. It might happen by accident or equipment
malfunction, but there will come a time when the surplus of embryos
are gone. Then there will no longer be embryos to extract stem
cells from.
10. Cant we make more?
- Cant scientists create more embryonic stem cells?
- No, it is illegal in any government funded laboratory in the
US.
11.
- Over all Alex Li and Eoghan McGee are against Harvesting Stem
Cells. This is simply based on the fact that you are killing
another human being. Kill one to save another. Harvesting stem
cells is murder. How would you feel, if you were saved from death
by stem cells. Relieved at first. Then you should realize, that to
preserve your life and keep you running, another one was never
given the chance to start.
12.
- Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues --Genome Research."Oak Ridge
National Laboratory . Web. 21 Mar. 2011. .
- "The CQ Researcher Online."CQ Press Electronic Library . Web.
21 Mar. 2011. .
- "The CQ Researcher Online."CQ Press Electronic Library . Web.
23 Mar. 2011. .
- "The CQ Researcher Online."CQ Press Electronic Library . Web.
23 Mar. 2011. .
- Sweet Search. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. .
- "Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues --Genome Research."Oak Ridge
National Laboratory . Web. 23 Mar. 2011.