Question

Why are transgenic animals being produced? Explain any four reasons.

Answer 1

These animals are produced for several reasons:

1. Study of Normal Physiology and Development: The regulation of genes and their impact on normal bodily functions and development are studied using transgenic animals. For instance, research on intricate growth factors like insulin-like growth factor.
2. Study of Diseases: They are employed to research the genes causing human illnesses and how to treat them. For conditions like cancer, cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Alzheimer’s, transgenic models have been created.
3. Production of Biological Products: Transgenic animals are capable of producing useful biological products such as therapeutic proteins, hormones, and antibodies. For instance, milk from transgenic cows may contain human proteins that are useful in medicine.
4. Vaccine and Chemical Safety Testing: Before vaccines like the polio vaccine are administered to people, they are tested on transgenic animals, especially mice. It is possible to make transgenic animals more susceptible to harmful drugs than non-transgenic ones, which speeds up research into the consequences of those compounds.