Trend-setting Technology: Design your Own Baby

Imagine walking into a fertility counselor or a genetic counselor and being asked, “What color would you like your baby’s eyes to be?” or “Would you like your child to be of moderate height, or taller?” With technologies like in vitro fertilization and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, those questions are not out of the realm of possibilities. They have given rise to the concept of “designer babies” in that parents and couples in the process of having a child through in vitro fertilization may be able to do just that: design their own baby.

“The term “designer baby” refers to a baby that has been created to meet specific genetic criteria. It is not a scientific term, but one coined by the media to designate a baby “designed” to carry or not carry certain traits.”

-Gina Hagler

The Drawing Board Process

Designing a baby, if you wish to do so, is really only possible through a process called pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, or PGD. Furthermore, PGD is really only possible with women or couples undergoing in vitro fertilization, or IVF. The entire process from isolating sperm and eggs to implanting the fertilized egg back into the women’s body is as follows:

• Eggs are collected from a women’s body The designer baby process.
• In a laboratory, the eggs are fertilized with sperm (either from a donor or from the woman’s male partner)
• The fertilized eggs are allowed to grow into embryos
• After 3 three days, a biopsy of the embryo may be taken in order to perform necessary or desired genetic testing (PGD)
• Only the “embryo(s) of of the best quality,” meaning the embryos that do not contain the gene that codes for the unwanted trait or disorder, are allowed to persist. Those embryos are the ones that are inserted into the uterus.

The genetic tests usually done with PGD involve either testing for a genetic disorder that can be inherited by the baby from the parents or testing to determine if the embryo’s DNA contains the right amount of chromosomes.

Limits to Designing

As of right now, those are the only types of tests that are being performed. However, as simple as it is to test for inheritable diseases, it is just as easy to look for genes that will give the baby blue eyes, or blonde hair. An article from Scientific American states that a study found that at least 10 % of a surveyed group who had genetic counseling done would have liked to have their baby tested for “tall stature” or “superior intelligence”. The article mentions that in the UK, there are rules governing in vitro fertilization/embryo manipulation. The Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority has guidelines put in place to control the amount of embryos that may be implanted and prohibits the choosing of traits other than sex of the child for necessary medical reasons. How strict this organization is, however, is not always consistent.

First Designer Baby: One of a kind, very limited edition

Adam Nash is considered to be the first designer baby/”savior sibling” to have been born in the United States. His birth did not come about after choosing of height, intelligence, or eye color, but instead, after choosing the necessary genes and traits so that he could be used as a bone marrow donor for his ailing sister. Through in vitro fertilization and PGD, Nash’s parents chose an embryo that did not contain the gene which codes for Fanconi Anemia, a rare blood disease that has the potential to lead to leukemia and malfunctioning of the body itself. Adam’s cord blood was saved when he was born, and then given to his sister. The process was successful; one life was saved due to the creation of another.

To Design or Not to Design

As it may already be evident, the entire concept of a designer baby has long been a topic of debate for obvious reasons. Is Recent poll about designer babies. choosing one embryo over another because it has the genes for blue eyes really something that should be acceptable? Or is designing and having another child solely for the sake of ailing child the ethical thing to do? These and many other questions are of constant discussion. Generally, people tend to view the designing process as positive when it comes to medical purposes, but not so much when it involves superficial or physical characteristics. I would have to agree personally, that if absolutely necessary for medicinal purposes, then genetically designing a baby would be permissible

HeLa Cells: The Beginning of Forever

What are HeLa Cells?

HeLa Cells

“HeLa cells are a type of immortal cell line used in scientific research.” These cells are by all definitions immortal. Immortal cells are cells from an organism that would not typically be immortal, but have been mutated or changed to divide indefinitely; in the HeLa line, this is done with cancer cells. Normal human cells have a very limited lifespan, but these immortal cells can divide indefinitely, live through freezing for long periods of time, and be split up between many different projects.

The Original Immortal Cells

The original immortal cells were created in 1951 at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. The cells used to create the cell line came from a young black woman who was diagnosed with cervical cancer named Henrietta Lacks; the cells were later named HeLa cells. Ms. Lacks was a tobacco farmer from Virginia. She was originally diagnosed with cervical cancer when she was 30 years old. Her cancerous cells were taken without her permission. After that point, they were used in many different ways. They were used to develop the Polio vaccine, taken into space to find the effect of zero gravity on cells, and have recently been used for research in cloning, gene mapping, and in vitro. However, no one knew where the cells actually came from until the 1970’s.

How Immortal Cells are Created      

Henrietta Lacks

In order to produce immortal cells lines, naturally occurring cancer cells must be extracted and used to immortalize normal cells. It is done by fusing a cancer cell and a normal cell together. Once the nuclei of the two cells fuse to become one nucleus, it is known as synkaryon.  This is how the HeLa cells were produced. Another way that the cells can be produced is to induce random mutagens and select for cells to undergo division. Also, a viral gene can be introduced which will partially degrade the cell cycle. The original method is considered to be the most reliable and has been researched in depth.

New Restrictions on the Use of HeLa Cells

The scientific availability and use of HeLa cells grew much faster than the regulations and ethical restrictions  linked to the use of the cells. 25 years after Henrietta Lack’s death, her family found out that her cells were being used all over the world for research without their consent or knowledge. As you can imagine, her family was not particularly happy about the situation, and asked for some restrictions to be placed on the use of their loved ones cells. Through compromise, the science world and her family decided that the genomic sequence information taken from the cells will be limited.

“In 20 years at NIH, I can’t recall a specific circumstance more charged with scientific, societal and ethical challenges than this one,” Francis Collins, NIH director

The family has agreed that from this point forward, researchers will be required to apply for access to data from the genomic sequence and received approval from a panel which will include part of Henrietta Lacks’ family. However, her family will still not receive any financial compensation for the use of her cells.

“For more than 60 years our family has been pulled into science without our consent and researchers have never stopped to talk with us to share information with us or give us a voice in the conversation about the HeLa cells until now,”- Jeri Lacks-Whye  (Lacks’ granddaughter)

Limitations

HeLa Karyotype vs. Normal Karyotype

Because HeLa cells are essentially cancerous cells, there are a lot of issues and questions surrounding the research and its possible impact on people. The karyotypes of HeLa cells are very unusual. The chromosomes, which usually come in pairs, are in groups of one to five. This raises questions as to whether or not they can be used as good examples of normal human cells, and if they give the best results in relation to typical human. There are other immortal cell methods that mimic human cells in a more realistic way; however, further research is needed.

 

Biotechnology: Is The Shiny Fruit Bowl Worth it?

ETFtrends.com

Biotechnology has reinvented how we think of modern medicine, food production, animals and other organisms, and industrial technology. Like all things, these new methods come with many risks and benefits. Technology is constantly advancing in order to keep up with the increasing demands of the human population. It’s no longer okay to be concerned with just getting through today; we must look ahead and prepare, conserve, and protect for the future of the Earth and it’s inhabitants.

“…60 percent to 70 percent of all processed foods now contain at least one ingredient from a genetically engineered plant”

                                                                                          -agribiotech.info

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Benefits of Biotechnology

Food Safety and Nutrition in Agriculture

By genetically modifying different crops, fruits and vegetables can now have longer shelf life. These modified crops also have improved taste, color, and texture. Going beyond appearance and taste, these foods now have greater levels of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants.

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Environmental Benefits

Genetically modified plants are self-resistant to outside forces; insects, animals, and harsh weather are less of an obstacle, as opposed to traditional farming methods. This means less pesticide use, which would be a great benefit to the environment. Soil and water quality would improve, along with the health of animals who share the land. Production yields also increase, which results in tighter utilization of land. Farmable land is becoming more scarce as population and demand for food increases. Biotechnology could potentially solve the problem of worldwide food shortages.

Developing Nations

You can find food shortages in any part of the world. However, some places are almost completely deprived of adequate supplies of food and water. Developing nations would especially benefit in improved food production from biotechnology. It would increase the efficiency of the production of food and the longer shelf life would enable it to be stored and used for longer periods of time, reducing waste.

Animals

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Through genetic modifications, it is possible to select and maintain certain characteristics beneficial to human welfare. For example, the production of better quality milk from cows and other animals, pigs with more meat on them, and disease-resistant animals. Biotechnology has been successful in improving growth rates, higher amounts of lean muscle mass, and higher resistance to disease and infection.

 

 

Risks of Biotechnology

Environmental Issues

Cross-pollination of modified genes can cause problems for surrounding wildlife. It could increase the amount of toxins in other organisms and cause an imbalance in the ecosystem. The potential long-term impact is unknown; many people are not willing to find out.

Health Issues

Genetically modified plants and animals can introduce new allergens to the food chain. Changing the natural breeding cycles of animals could lead to future mutations or complications during birth throughout the animal’s life.

Consumer Rights/Labeling

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Some people are extremely concerned that companies are not spelling out every single thing that us consumers are putting into our bodies. The companies that manufacture and facilitate these foods retaliate by explaining that food labels are of the composition and safety of the food, not how it is produced. Visit this like to read more about Food Issues in Agricultural Biotechnology

Ethical Issues

Biotechnology has gotten a lot of negative attention due to the ethical issues it presents. Some argue that it is unnatural to go against nature, controlling organisms through scientific modifications. Also, there is an issue of what it could lead to in the near future; it is a huge opportunity for companies to monopolize and take over industries. This would hurt the natural business cycle and run small companies out of business. It not only goes against biological nature, but industrial too.

 

Citations:

Arnold, Paul. Medicinal Applications in Biotechnology. Bright Hub Inc., 2008. Web. 15 Feb. 2015.

Benefits and Risks of Biotechnology. Biotechnology Forums, 18 Dec. 2012. Web. 12 Feb. 2015.

Bosia, Amelia. Health Risks and Benefits from Biotechnology. Women in Biotechnology, 2008. Web. 15

               Feb. 2015.

Crop Biotechnology: Benefits, Risks, and Ownership. AgBioWorld. Conway, Gordon 2000. Web. 12 Feb.

2015.

Silverman, Ed. The 5 Most Pressing Ethical Issues in Biotech Medicine. National Center for

               Biotechnology Information, 2004. Web. 15 Feb. 2015.

What is Biotechnology? Biotechnology Industry Organization, 2o15. Web. 15 Feb. 2015.