Germline Modification Moratorium

Sexual Reproduction and Germ Cells

Sexual reproduction is the method where a set of genes gets transferred to the next generation. These transferring of the genetic material gives us the genetic imprint that determines our parentage. And the element that gives us the imprint is the DNA. Gene is the structural and functional unit of the DNA. In our body we have the Somatic cells as well as the germline cells. Somatic cells are those which takes care of the matter that involves growth and development and not the sex cells that determines our sexual characteristics. Germline cells are the group of cells that get transferred to the next generation through sexual reproduction procedure and determines the genetic characteristic of an organism. Gene therapy, a recently discovered technique deals with both the somatic cells as well as the germline cells. Reports suggests that these kind of targeted therapy can be very fruitful if properly done as once cured it will be a permanent solution.

Germline modification

Biologists and the Biotechnologists, are recently targeting the germline cells as a site of therapy to cure diseases. It is as simple as the editing of the human genome. Germline modification can be otherwise called as simple genetic engineering that works on changing the particular characteristic of the genome or single gene in the eggs or the sperm. Thus sexual early embryo formation all the mal qualities can be deleted. This germline modification engineering is totally inherited to the next generation which means that the modified engineered genes will not only appear in the immediate generation but as matter of heredity it will be carried on to the rest of the generations. Thus completely deleting the disease from that generation. This technique is probably the best technique to be ever discovered by the mankind. However because immense potential and human enhancement germline modification moratorium was established.

Difference with Somatic Cell Modification

Germline modification engineering is very much different from somatic cell engineering. Somatic cell modification involves engineering of genes to the bodily cells other than sperm and the egg cells, thus making it non-heritable. For example, a particular individual facing problem due to malfunctioning of a particular set of gene, a healthy set of gen can be added to that site and replace the problematic gene to treat and cure the problem. And along with germline modification somatic cell modification also and immense potency towards curing incurable diseases. Germline genetic engineering was used earlier, however in a small scale to treat infertile females having serious genetic problems in mitochondria during their conceiving. Healthy and fertile eggs are taken from a donor mother for this purpose. Thus a child will be having a single mother with two mothers which will also help in eradicating any sort of problem that will be carried to the future generations.

Ethics

However with all of it prosper, germline modification ethics came in the way resulting in the banning of this procedure. Gene editing was dictated completely illegal by the scientific community which is very condemnable.

Conclusion

Although one of best discovered technique till now, due to its complete banning on human genome remains to be ineffective. We hope that someday at some point of time we hope to find some other theory that will revolutionize the medical practices and we will be devoid of our health problems.