BITC1311 Intro to Biotechnology
Chapter 7. Animal Biotechnology
1.
Name
Thieman & Palladino Guided Notes
Discuss some medical breakthroughs that were made possible by animal model systems and research.
2. Why are toxicity studies carried out on more than one animal model?
a. What are the parameters that toxicity studies focus on in animals?
b. Why can’t toxicity studies be limited to tissue cultures, eliminating the need for animal studies?
3. What types of animals are most commonly used in research? What are some qualities of an animal that makes
them a good model system for laboratory studies?
4.
How is the care and use of animals regulated for researchers using federal sources of funds?
5. Describe some genetic modifications of mosquitoes that can be used to prevent the prevalence of malaria in
tropical regions.
6. According to “Tools of the Trade”, what is a major problem with the use of animals as organ donors for
humans (“xenotransplantation”)?
a. What is the solution for this problem that has been developed by PPL Therapeutics?
b. Describe briefly how this biotech company has developed an animal that can potentially become a source
of organs, and explain why nuclear transplantation is an important part of this strategy.
7.
What is a major advantage of cloning animals?
a. Describe the steps that can lead to animal cloning. Include in your description the reason that electrical
charging and a surrogate mother are necessary.
b. What are some limitations to animal cloning?
c. There is much talk in the popular press about the possibility of using human cloning in order to produce
“replacement parts” for the clone donor. Do you see any technical hurdles for this strategy? Are there
other more ethical and technically safer approaches for producing transplant tissues for people?
d. Can you think of any reasons that might prevent practical applications for animal cloning in agriculture?
8.
Describe 5 methods for introducing recombinant DNA into animal cells.
9.
Describe some possibilities for how DNA technology could be used to improve animal agricultural products.
10.
Describe some possibilities for how DNA technology could be used to turn farm animals into bioreactors.
What are some advantages of animal bioreactors?
11. What is a “knock-out”, and why do researchers produce them?
a. Describe the process for making a knock-out.
b. How is homologous recombination used to create a knock-out?
c. Why are embryonic stem cells required?
d. How is a total knock-out developed from a chimera?
12. Outline the procedure for producing Mabs.
a. Where are the cells taken from to produce the hybridoma?
b. Why were the use of mouse hybridomas disappointing for the production of Mabs of therapeutic value in
humans?
c. What are some alternatives for producing human antibodies?