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Biotechnology And Its Applications

Question
CBSEENBI12047023

An example of gene therapy is

  • production of injectable hepatitis B vaccine

  • production of vaccines in food crops like potatoes which can be eaten 

  • introduction of gene for adenosine deaminase in persons suffering from Severe Combined Immuno-deficiency (SCID)

  • production of test tube babies by artificial insemination and implantation of fertilized eggs

Solution

C.

introduction of gene for adenosine deaminase in persons suffering from Severe Combined Immuno-deficiency (SCID)

On September 14, 1990 researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health performed the first (approved) gene therapy procedure on four-year old Ashanti DeSilva. Born with a rare genetic disease called severe combined immune deficiency (SCID), she lacked a healthy immune system, and was vulnerable to every passing germ. Children with this illness usually develop overwhelming infections and rarely survive to adulthood.

In this gene therapy procedure doctors removed white blood cells from the child's body, let the cells grow in the lab inserted the missing gene into the cells, and then infused the genetically modified blood cells back into the patient's blood stream. Laboratory test have shown that the therapy strengthened her immune system.