DNA and Manipulating Reproduction.
DNA and Manipulating Reproduction If 100 fertilised eggs were planted in 100 females uteri at the correct time in their menstrual cycle, only 18 of these eggs would be born. At a certain point during a female's menstrual cycle, blisters form within the uterus and mucus is then secreted. The gene that produces this mucus is MUC1 - the mucin gene. This mucus and therefore this gene, is associated with breast cancer, which therefore means that a mutated mucin gene could contribute or be a cause of breast cancer. A normal fertile female has 5.5 kilobases. Although rare, some females can have just 3.5 kilobases. This affects the lining of the uterus ultimately resulting in infertility as the uterus becomes inhospitable. Fertility declines with age, as the uterus becomes more inhospitable. Moreover, many more eggs/embryo's have severely mutated chromosomes as either a result of a mutated mother egg/cell, or as a result of DNA copying errors as the cell/egg multiplies. This decline in fertility is so severe that by the time a female reaches the age of 45, there is only a 2% chance of her giving birth to a child after having IVF treatment. However this is not so with the oldest living organism on the planet being 3000 years old - a tree, still producing saplings! How the number of eggs in a female declines throughout the years: At 16 weeks, the female foetus contains 7
The role of hormones in the female reproductive system.
The role of hormones in the female reproductive system The oestrus cycle is the continuing process of fertility and non-fertility controlled by several hormones and the endocrine system. This consists of the hypothalamus, the anterior pituitary gland, the ovaries and the uterus, known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian-uterine axis. Oestrus normally lasts for 18 to 24 days but this figure can vary in specific circumstances such as early puberty when the cycle lasts for a lot less time (3 to 12 days) and also when the cycle commences after pregnancy and parturition (Fuquay 2002). The oestrus cycle halts during pregnancy due to the large amounts of progesterone in the blood supplied by the Corpus Luteium (CL). Progesterone is vital for maintaining pregnancy and also for stimulating the growth of mammary alveoli for the purpose of lactation. Gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) begins a cascade of hormones through the animal that are responsible for the oestrus cycle taking place. It is secreted in a pulsating manner with rises and falls in concentrations from the hypothalamus where it is transported to the anterior pituitary gland. It is here that the GnRH controls the release of two protein hormones, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) which are known collectively as gonadotrophins. Because the release of GnRH is in waves, consequently FSH
The Human Genome Project begun in 1990
The Human Genome Project begun in 1990, it is a 13-year effort coordinated by the Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health in the United States. The project originally was planned to last 15 years, but effective resource and technological advances have accelerated the expected completion date to 2003. The Project goals are to * identify all the approximately 30,000 genes in human DNA, * determine the sequences of the 3 billion chemical base pairs that make up human DNA, * store this information in databases, * improve tools for data analysis, * transfer related technologies to the private sector, and * Address the ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) that may arise from the project. Several types of genome maps have already been completed, and a working draft of the entire human genome sequence was announced in June 2000, with analyses published in February 2001. An important feature of this project is the federal government's long-standing dedication to the transfer of technology to the private sector. By licensing technologies to private companies and awarding grants for innovative research, the project is catalyzing the multibillion-dollar U.S. biotechnology industry and fostering the development of new medical applications. In June 2000, scientists completed the first working draft of the human genome. Efforts are still underway to
The Human Genome Project
THE HUMAN GENOME PROJECT What is the human genome project? Completed in 2003, the Human Genome Project (HGP) was a 13-year project coordinated by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health. During the early years of the HGP, the Welcome Trust (U.K.) became a major partner; additional contributions came from Japan, France, Germany, China, and others. See our history page for more information. Project goals were to: -identify all the approximately 20,000-25,000 genes in human DNA, -determine the sequences of the 3 billion chemical base pairs that make up human DNA, -store this information in databases, -improve tools for data analysis, -transfer related technologies to the private sector, and -address the ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) that may arise from the project. History of the Human Genome Project The Human Genome Project (HGP) refers to the international 13-year effort, formally begun in October 1990 and completed in 2003, to discover all the estimated 20,000-25,000 human genes and make them accessible for further biological study. Another project goal was to determine the complete sequence of the 3 billion DNA subunits (bases in the human genome). As part of the HGP, parallel studies were carried out on selected model organisms such as the bacterium E. coli and the mouse to help develop the technology and interpret