Gene Editing x Stem Cells: The Future of Biology

The word gene editing scares many. Combine that with stem cells (especially embryonic ones) and you’ve got yourself a very controversial conversation. But before we can talk about ethics, we need to educate ourselves about what’s possible. So join me on this journey as we become informed on the intersection of both topics!

Background Image Courtesy of Hacker Noon. Designed By Me :)

What Exactly Is Gene Editing?

Look at that double helix shape; it looks like a twisted ladder! Image courtesy of EDN.
Take a look at the DNA, which is at the top. See how the bases match? Now try and create your own DNA sequence using just that one strand at the bottom. It’s pretty simple!
Notice the absence of tracrRNA in the inactive Cas protein!
It might seem like a waste of time but I highly recommend watching the video twice! There’s a lob to absorb so it really increases your understanding.

What Exactly Are Stem Cells?

Inspired by slides from Dr. Esteban Mazzoni
Meet Dolly the sheep, a cloned animal! Image courtesy of John Chadwick — AP/REX/Shutterstock.com

Where The Two Meet In the Middle

At every step of the way, the cells have to choose a path to become something at the expense of the possibility of becoming something else. [And each time the cell makes a decision] by definition, [it is getting] farther [away from] any other place that [it] could have gone.

The process of differentiation!
This is what sickle cells look like; they’re in a crescent shape and that decreases their function. Image courtesy of Get Healthy Stay Healthy.

Challenges Ahead

--

--

Science communicator trying to learn something new everyday | Published in Start It Up, Predict & The Writing Cooperative

Get the Medium app

A button that says 'Download on the App Store', and if clicked it will lead you to the iOS App store
A button that says 'Get it on, Google Play', and if clicked it will lead you to the Google Play store
Parmin Sedigh

Science communicator trying to learn something new everyday | Published in Start It Up, Predict & The Writing Cooperative