MI Unit 2 test

embryologist

medical professionals and scientists focusing on reproductive research and fertility treatments (masters degree)

Andrologist

medical doctor who specializes in male reproductive issues and male sexual dysfunction

Reproductive endocrinologist 

sub-specialty of Obstetrics and Gynecology. requires 4 years of medical school

cloning 

somatic our body cell from a multicellular organism to make one or more genetically identical individuals 

Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis

reproductive technology, the determination of genetic abnormalities in the embryo before it is transferred to the uterus

in vitro fertilization

procedure in which gametes are fertilized in a dish in the laboratory, and the resulting zygote is implanted in the uterus for development

vector 

an agent that contains or carries modified genetic material and can be used to introduce extra genes into the genome of an organism 

noninvasive prenatal screening

blood test that look cell free DNA that originated in the placenta

Amniocentesis

technique for determining genetic abnormalities in fetus by the presence of certain chemicals or defective fetal cells in the amniotic fluid, obtained by aspiration from a needle inserted into the uterus

chorionic villus sampling

technique for diagnosing genetic and congenital defects in a fetus by removing and analyzing a sample of the fetal portion of the placenta 

single nucleotide polymorphism

one base pair variation in the genome sequence. Can be used pinpoint disease genes

genotype

genetic makeup of an organism

phenotype

physical + physiological traits of an organism

genome

the complement of an organism’s genes; an organism’s genetic material

capabilities of Plasmid DNA 

• can carry a gene of any size 

• carries dna 

• unlikely to cause an immune response 

limitations of Plasmid DNA

• no specificity for any cell type 

• cells may or may not uptake plasmid DNA 

• less efficient at entering cells resulting in lower levels of therapeutic protein production

capabilites of Liposome

• can carry a gene of any size 

• carries DNA 

• unlikely to cause an immune response 

Liposome

spherical vesicle surround by a lipid bilayer

limitations of liposome

• no specificity for any cell type 

• less efficient at entering cells resulting in lower levels of therapeutic protein production 

• will not integrate into the host cells genome, making the effects temporary 

Herpes Virus

known to cause herpes type 1 and type 2 infections in humans

capabilities of herpes virus

• can carry a gene of up to 20,000 bp (20 kb)

• carries DNA

limitations of herpes virus

• will only infect cells of the nervous system

• will not integrate into the host cells genome, but remains active in a cell for a long time 

• less efficient at entering cells resulting in lower levels of therapeutic protein production 

• can cause an immune response 

Adeno-associated Virus

virus that infects primates and is not currently known to cause disease

capabilities of Adeno- associated Virus

• can carry a gene of up to 5,000 bp (5kb)

• carries dna 

• can enter dividing and non-dividing cells, and a variety of cell types 

• unlikely to cause an immune response 

• efficient at entering cells resulting in high levels of therapeutic protein production 

• will integrate into the host cells genome, making the effects long lasting 

limitations of Adeno-associated virus

needs a helper virus to replicate

adenovirus

virus known to cause a variety of illnesses in humans

capabilities of adenovirus

• can carry a gene of up to 7500 bp (7.5 kb)

• carries dna 

• Efficient at entering cells resulting in high levels of therapeutic protein production

• Can enter dividing and non-dividing cells, and a variety of cell types

limitations of adenovirus

• Will not integrate into the host cells genome, making the effects temporary

• Can cause an immune response

retrovirus

a virus (many of which are capable of infecting humans) and inserts a copy of its genome into host cells

capabilities of retrovirus

• Can carry a gene of up to 8,000 bp (8 kb)

• Carries RNA

• Will integrate into the host cells genome, making the effects long lasting

limitations of the retrovirus 

• Only infects dividing cells

• Integrates into the host cell’s genome randomly, potentially disrupting other genes. This could lead to cancer, among other conditions. 

• Less efficient at entering cells resulting in lower levels of therapeutic protein production

• Can cause an immune response

lentivirus

retrovirus that is known to cause serious diseases in humans and other animals

capabilities of lentivirus

• Can carry a gene of up to 8,500 bp (8.5 kb)

• Carries RNA

• Can enter dividing and non-dividing cells, and a variety of cell types

• Efficient at entering cells resulting in high levels of therapeutic protein production

• Will integrate into the host cell’s genome, making the effects long lasting

• Unlikely to cause an immune response

limitations of lentivirus 

• Integrates into the host cells genome randomly, potentially disrupting other genes. This could lead to cancer, among other conditions.