Somatic cell gene therapy

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Almost everybody knows someone with a genetic disease. An aunt, a daughter, a friend, a coworker, every body is susceptible to have a genetic based disease. There are many types of genetic diseases ranging from skin malformations to lethal heart problems that could cause death. Genetic diseases affect newborns “Of the 3 to 6 percent of newborns with a recognized birth defect, at least half involve a predominantly genetic contribution.” (Fridovich, Fridovich-Kelly &Robinson, 2013, p.1); though there are other diseases such as cancer or aids that are obtained through an individual’s life and a big percentage of people are affected. That is why many scientists have searched for a solution to these problems that have affected so many people. Somatic cell gene therapy is the best cure to treat genetic diseases.

Somatic cell gene therapy, or replacement cell gene therapy, is a treatment that consists in modifying or restoring the function of a gene that is not working correctly or that is not working at all. It is a way to correct mutations of genes as well as inserting or deleting a gene within the DNA. Somatic cell gene therapy is the best cure because it cures genetic based diseases. There are not many solutions genetic based problems. For example, let’s say that someone has Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (ADA-SCID) People with this disease lack of protection against bacteria, viruses and fungi and are “prone to repeated and persistent infections that can be very serious or life-threatening” (N.A., ADA deficiencies, 2013). ADA-SCID is a very rare disease affecting about 1 in 200,000 to 1,000,000 newborns worldwide and because of this there are not many methods of treatment. The only known therapies for this genetic disease, so fa...

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...e new gene and having a successful process.

Lately there have been a great number of clinical trials to research how many of the diseases are treatable through Somatic cell gene therapy and how many other therapies can be perfected. Somatic cell gene therapy is still on an early stage. The recent advances have been made by nucleases discovery and design. Also, understanding how the techniques work and what factors, as temperature or altitude, affect during the cutting of the DNA makes advances on this field of science. As well as researching what kinds of enzyme work better for each type of genetic manipulation. After these research scientist would have mastered the Gene therapy treating this patients with genetic diseases will not only be easier but also cheaper and more available making somatic cell gene therapy the best cure to treat genetic diseases.

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