Biotechnology essentially deals with the industrial scale production of biopharmaceuticals and other biological products using genetically modified crops, fungi, plants and animals. It has tremendous applications in various areas.
The medical applications can be considered in three groups:
1. Medicinal gene products- using genetically modified organisms to produce chemicals for medical applications like hormones, vaccines etc.
a) Human insulin- Human insulin gene was isolated, cloned and sequenced in the 1970s and through biotechnology, the gene was inserted into bacteria Escherichia coli which synthesize insulin chemically.
b) Human Growth Hormone (HGH) - The HGH gene has been cloned and artificial cDNA gene has been inserted into E.coli. The gene is then translated to produce the hormone and thus, genetically engineered HGH is produced.
2. Development of new phenotypes- New phenotypes are being developed continuously by adding new genes or by manipulating the existing genes. For example, transgenic animals.
Transgenic animals refer to the animals carrying foreign genes. Foreign DNA is introduced into the animal using recombinant DANA technology.
Example: Tissue plasminogen activator in milk(goat) and blood clotting factor V||| (sheep).
3. Gene Therapy- Using gene technology in humans to treat a disease.
For example, ADA (Adenosine Deaminase) gene deficiency has been treated by gene therapy by introducing the gene into cells at early embryonic stages.