Explain the benefits of creating transgenic animals.

Explanation

1. Normal physiology and development: Transgenic animals are specifically designed to allow studying about.
• How the genes are regulated.
• How the gene affects normal functioning of body How it affects growth and development. E.g. insulin like growth factor. The animals are made transgenic to know the biological effect and result. 2. Study of disease: Transgenic animals are designed to understand how genes contribute to the development of disease like cancers, cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer.s. 3. Biological products: Transgenic animals are used to produce biological product of human interest: • `alpha`-1 -antitrypsin used to treat emphysema.
• Proteins for treatment for PKU and cystic fibrosis.
Transgenic cow Rosie, produce human protein enriched milk (2.4 gm/lit. human `alpha` -lactalbumin).
4. Vaccine safety • Transgenic mice are being developed and use in testing the safety of vaccines before they are used for humans.
• Polio vaccine is tested in mice. 5. Chemical safety testing This is also known as toxicity/safety testing.
• Transgenic animals are used to know the effects of toxic chemicals.