Genetic Engineering Is Defined as

Genetic engineering is defined as a group of applied techniques of genetic and biotechnology that is used to cut up and join together genetic material, particularly DNA from one or more species of organism to promoted change in one or more of its characteristics. Unlike traditional breeding where genes are manipulated indirectly, genetic engineering employs molecular cloning and transformation to bring about the direct alteration of genetic characteristics and structure. Genetic engineering has been successfully employed various industries particularly the medical and agricultural ones (Fridell 37).

Genetic engineering can also be used to isolate genes, modify them in order to enable them function better, prepare genes to be inserted into a new species and also develop transgenes. Transgenic organisms are the ones which contain genes which have been altered and are from other organisms. Transgenics, the process, involves isolating the gene that is required from the other thousands of genes in the genome of the donor species gene-donor species. Once isolated, the gene is altered to enable it function in the host organism.

It is combined with other genes in preparation for its introduction into the other organism whereby it becomes a transgene. A transgenic organism or chimera contains a transgene introduced into it through genetic engineering rather than by selective breeding. Genetic engineering has played an important role in the agricultural field.

Through transgenics, scientists develop organisms with traits that are rare to its species an example being developing of sunflowers that are mildew resistant and insect resistant cotton which in turn promote health through reduced use of insecticides and herbicides as well as making the food more nutritious. Transgenics have combinations that are either plant-animal-human combinations, animal-animal combinations or animal-human combinations (Glenn). Transgenic plants with human proteins are used to produce vaccines that are edible.

The incorporation of human proteins into bananas, potatoes and tomatoes have enabled researchers create prototypes of vaccines that are edible and help in inoculation against hepatitis B, cholera and diarrhea which have proven successful in tests on agricultural animals and human subjects as well. Genetically modified foods can help in providing a solution for the problem of starvation by increasing the quantity whereby the characteristic of the species to enable it adapt to its environment and thereby increasing production.

The quality of the food can also be increased through making it more nutritious an example being the developing of rice with heightened levels of vitamin a (Pimentel et al. 608). Genetic engineering can enable reduce environmental degradation due to the amount of stress man puts on it in a bid to utilize naturally occurring resources. With trees being the most used resources, their genes can be altered to enable them grow faster, thereby being replaced as fast as they are used.

They can also be altered to absorb more carbon dioxide and reduce the threats of global warming. An example of an animal-animal combination is whereby goats have had spider genes, responsible for the production of spider silk, introduced to them. Spider silk is one of the strongest and most resilient substances. The process involved the introduction of the gene into an unfertilized egg and once the transgenic female goats matured, they produced milk with the protein that the silk is made from.

The fiber that was created artificially from this protein is used in the creating of bulletproof vests that are lightweight but strong. Genetic engineering plays an important part in the medical field. The human body has 25,000 genes approximately which are inherited birth that give the person physical and emotional attributes. Some genes can be defective predisposing one to diseases that may attack them later in life. Other genes may remain dormant and get passed down to their future generations who will suffer from the disease (More 3).

This threat can be removed through genetic engineering through preventing or completely eradicating the threat completely. This is done by identifying and repairing them or introducing genes that can negate or combat the defective gene's detrimental effects. Gene therapy can be used to find remedies to non-genetic diseases and it has enabled the treatment of autoimmune and cardiac diseases over the last decade. Genetic engineering has been applied to human reproduction whereby genetic diseases can be identified at the fetal stage so as to enable the doctors take remedial action.

Hopefully, as time goes by, such diseases can be treated successfully before the fetus is born (Boylan and Kevin 72). Genetic engineering has been used in the pharmaceutical field to help in the production of medicines that are more sophisticated and superior to help in the treatment and prevention of diseases. In animal-human transgenic combinations are used in the medical field whereby pig organs can be used for human transplants. The pigs physiology and organ size are similar to human beings making them viable for use as transgenic animals.

It is hoped that pig organs can be used in xenotransplantation, whereby their organs are transplanted into human recipients and thereby reducing the shortage of human organs like kidneys and hearts. Other transgenetic animals are used in medicine for the growing of tissues to serve as temporary skin substitutes for burns and other wounds. They can also be used to obtain replacement cerebrospinal shunts, cartilage, heart valves or collagen tubes for guiding the re-growth of nerves that are injured (Glenn).

There is hope that therapeutic proteins can be derived from monoclonal antibodies from milk.