THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF LIFE

The Encyclopedia of Life
"Encyclopedia of Life" (the encyclopedia of life) is a mammoth project which proposes to archive some 1.8 million species of animals and plants known to date. 10 years of work will be required to complete this project amounts to 100 million dollars.

This project aims to create a resource bank and an online database that will be the reference for researchers, teachers, students or the general public. Each case will have a top-conducted by experts propsant videos, photos, sounds, notes and maps. "This will have a term of informatio high quality well organized and available at a level unprecedented" said Dr James Edwards who heads the project.

The first stage of the project will focus on animals, plants, followed by fungi and microbes.

This catalog is only possible with technology today, scientists believe that this catalog may include forward a hundred million species.

Additional info:
For more info you can visit the Encyclopedia of Life.

Source:
BBC Science

THE CELLS CULTURED IN VITRO : FUTURE SUCESSOR OF ANIMALS?

The Cells Cultured In Vitro : Future Successor Of Animals?
England - The international conference on tissue engineering has highlighted the ability of this technique to replace laboratory animals, providing additional tools from tests in biomedical research.

The in vitro culture of mammalian cells allows all researchers to study them as testing new drugs or therapeutic procedures. But culture in vitro is different from cells in vivo, those of the living animal. Tissue engineering is now trying to mimic or recreate in vitro models as representative as possible of the living model.

The animal is not the most suitable model for studies of diseases of humans. The 3D cell cultures seem to be good models, but must still be improved and proven reliability. This technique is already applied to the modeling of spinal cord, sepsis, diabetic wounds, compaction of lumbar discs, among others.

From the point of view of trade, the tissue enginerring of interest but must cope with strict regulations. The development of a new molecule must necessarily go through a confirmation in vivo animal model. And the animal model is physiologically very different from humans. With the cultivation of human tissue, animal model tests would be useless. The molecule then quickly prove its effectiveness.

Stem cells also provide their share of promises but they are discussed by ethics. The stem cell adapts to the environment in which it operates and integrates perfectly. Its capabilities are very broad and open the door for developing new therapeutic agents.

Cellular systems will not immediately replace laboratory animals. The scientific community believes it will take between 5 and 7 years to accept and validate these cellular systems as alternative models to animal models.

GENETICS

Genetics
Greek Genno, which means giving birth, genetics is a science that studies the genes. They are present on chromosomes and define the physical characteristics of a living being. It is through them that hereditary traits are passed from generation to generation. The study of genetics is one sure way that scientists have found for analyzing living beings and their functioning.

The gene begins with Mendel's work, identifies when, in 1865, the transmission of certain hereditary traits. His work is validated at the beginning of the twentieth century, after Walter Sutton discovered that chromosomes are the support of genes, and thus heredity, highlighted by several researchers. Meanwhile, many scientists have studied the origin of human physical characteristics and the system of cell division as the existence of DNA were discovered.

In practice, the genes are present on chromosomes, which number 22 in the human karyotype, which is added to the sex chromosomes X (female) and Y (male). The genes present in the nucleus are DNA sequences that encode information about the organization and operation. During fertilization, the chromosomes of male and female gametes combine to form a new karyotype. Thus, each gene is present in two copies. A gene may have several variations, called alleles. When two different alleles are present in a karyotype is the dominant version of the gene that expresses and defines a character. The version that is not expressed is called recessive then. Only genes present on the lower arm of chromosome X are not necessarily present in two copies, since they are absent from the Y chromosome

The embryonic development takes place through cell division: mitosis. In simplified terms, it occurs as a sequence of four stages: interphase (the genes are transcribed and the chromosomes are duplicated), prophase (the genetic material, DNA condenses to form chromosomes separate) metaphase (chromosomes come together) and anaphase (chromosomes separate to partition into two cells). Genetic information, or genome, is present in every cell division after the first egg-cell, established at fertilization. Thus the gametes, reproductive sex cells contain the genetic information of individuals who possess and transmit at fertilization.

Genetics has uncovered and prevent many inherited diseases. They are indeed very often caused by the expression of specific genes within a genome and can be detected or prevented. Thus, the blindness is due to the presence of a recessive allele, responsible for the disease, on the arm of the X chromosome missing the Y chromosome, which can not be canceled by a dominant allele, boys. Furthermore, in women, if both X chromosomes are carriers of the allele ill, blindness occurs. Genetic defects are the cause of diseases more or less severe and disabling, and can be detected from the first cell divisions of the fertilized cell. Thanks to the techniques of genetics that we can now know before birth whether a child will have a particular genetic disease. In some cases, doctors also suggest the therapeutic interruption of pregnancy, the fetus continues its development so that the mother did not give birth to a sick child. This practice is limited to some very serious diseases and is widely criticized.

BIOTECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS

Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a set of methods and techniques using genetic and physiological capabilities of living organisms to develop new products.



Biotechnology progress integrate several disciplines such as microbiology, biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology and computing, and generate a variety of tools to disrupt multiple industries and to modify the environment.

Biotechnology Applications
Pharmaceutical Research (Health)
Health is the first application of biotechnology. They bring new life to the entire pharmaceutical research. Because many drugs are created through a better understanding of micro-organisms and study of DNA, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals can not happen from one another.

Antibiotics
Some infectious diseases have been controlled since the 1940s by antibiotics, partially or wholly obtained by fermentation and vaccines through genetic engineering.

Polymerase Chain Reaction
New diagnostic biotechnology emerged in the years 1980-1990: the technique of molecular probes and the polymerase chain reaction. In a sequence to combine with inherited their complements, these probes may indicate the presence of a defective gene or a gene intruder, due to an invasion of microbes in the body. Similarly, antibodies are able to identify with precision the non-compliant cells (cancerous) or foreign to the body such as bacteria. Thus was born the industry kits for rapid diagnosis based on the use of antibodies. In the case of pregnancy tests, which detect the presence of a specific hormone of the fetus in the urine of women.

Sequencing of Human Genone (Proteomics / Genomics)
The sequencing of the human genome heralds a new era in pharmaceutical research. Of more effective drugs can now be considered as the knowledge of the genome offers the possibility of targeting one or a few genes directly associated with a disease. Proteomics takes over from genomics to determine the role of proteins produced by each gene.

Gene Therapy
Some conditions are related to an anomaly or a lack of synthesis in the body of one or more molecules, as in cases of diabetes or hemophilia. It is now possible to produce large quantities of therapeutic substances similar to those produced by the body through bacteria, yeasts, insect cells or genetically altered mammals that are then injected in the patient. You can also transfer the gene responsible for production of the active molecule missing the individual in need is gene therapy.

Agriculture and Agri-Food (Plant Biotechnology)
The second major application of biotechnology is the agricultural research in which there are three application fields: agriculture, food and environment. Of transgenic varieties (GMOs) are created to increase resistance to pests and diseases or to improve the nutritional quality of products. Many plant varieties are being tested such as those owned by naturally secrete their own insecticides or genes controlling the quality of growth and conservation. When all the genes involved will be identified, transgenic plants may be resistant to cold, frost, drought and salty soil.

Transgenic Animals (Animal Biotechnology)
Transgenic animals in which genetic heritages have been introduced one or more foreign genes, are employed in research laboratories for studying the mechanisms of genesis of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diseases of bacterial or viral.

BIOTECHNOLOGY: SCOPE AND IMPORTANCE

Biotechnology
Definition:

Any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use. Examples of biotechnology, there are traditional applications such as making bread, cheese, wine and beer, as well as modern applications such as cell culture, genetically modified foods and the cloning of plants and animals.

Genetic engineering
Word (s) like (s): genetic modification, recombinant DNA technology.

Definition:
Technique of removing, modifying or adding genes to a DNA molecule of [an agency] so as to change the information it contains.

By changing this information, genetic engineering changes the type or amount of proteins an organism is able to produce and allows it to create new substances or to provide new functions.

The aim of genetic engineering is to produce desired characteristics and to eliminate those that are undesirable.

Among the desirable characteristics sought for plants, we can cite as examples the rapid growth, resistance to pests and greater size.

Modified organisms through genetic engineering are sometimes called transgenic organisms, genetically modified or derived from biotechnology.

Recombinant DNA technology.
Definition:

Laboratory manipulation of DNA in which DNA, or DNA fragments from different sources, are cut and recombined using enzymes.

This recombinant DNA is then inserted into a living organism. The recombinant DNA technology is often used synonymously with genetic engineering. With this technique, researchers can study the characteristics and actions of specific genes.

A body manipulated by recombinant DNA techniques is known as genetically modified organism (GMO).

Cloning
Definition:

Set of genetically identical, from the asexual reproduction of a single ancestral organism. Cloning refers to the fact generate identical copies of cells and segments of DNA.