Tay-Sachs Disease Research Paper

1314 Words3 Pages

Being aware is the key to prevent any disease from developing. Because of the medical advancement we have today, the chance of getting infected with and developing diseases has decreased rapidly. However, just because the percentage has been lowered does not mean it is fine to forget about the existence of diseases. Are you aware of how many fatal diseases you can develop? The way you live and act can affect the possibility of you developing a disease, that you can prevent by being careful and consider about how you are living your life. However, the disease you possess in your genes passed down from past generations in your DNA cannot be changed. Another thing to be aware of is that genetic diseases are common to those who come from a general …show more content…

Tay-Sachs disease is passed down from generation to generation by a certain gene. It is associated with chromosome 15, known as the HEXA gene. You have 23 chromosomes in total, including the X and Y chromosomes. On chromosome 15, the DNA codes for an enzyme, which is a substance that allows you to speed up chemical reactions in your body, that breaks down unneeded substances from your body. This enzyme is called beta-hexosaminidase. This unneeded substance that this enzyme breaks down is a fatty substance called GM2 ganglioside. If the enzyme is able to break down this GM2 ganglioside in the lysosomes, an organelle in your body where the breaking down of this substance occurs, there is no problem. However, in the case of Tay-Sachs disease, there is a change in this enzyme which will destroy this process. The enzyme not functioning properly will result in swelling of your nervous system, which will later on lead to the death of nerve cells. The swelling will eventually reach the brain and spinal cord, resulting to damage them. By the brain getting damaged and not functioning well it affects the nervous system. Having dysfunction in their brain and spinal cord, the infant would not be able to survive for long. Even with help with force-feeding, respiratory care, and other ways in which the hospital does to keep the infant to be alive, it would not last for long. Due to the weakening of the infant’s immune system, they eventually get infected with other diseases which cause their

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Tay-Sachs Disease Research Paper

The Hereditary Disease of Tay-Sachs Disease