With respect to understanding diseases, discuss the importance of transgenic animal models.
Transgenic animals are important in the following fields:
(i) They are being used in basic science research to elucidate the role of genes in the development of diseases like cancer, cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer’s.
(ii) They are valuable tools in the drug development process itself.
(iii) Milk producing transgenics can produce medicines or human proteins (insulin, growth hormone, etc.) in large quantities.
(iv) Transgenics can be a source of transplant organs as well.