How about a world with no disease, or no cancer? This can all be made possible through germ-line therapy. By changing chromosomes before offspring's are even born, disease and cancer can be wiped out over generations.Objective Summary ArticleOver the past four billion years, our lives have progressed through many changes. These are in the genetic makeup and by natural selection. Genetic engineering offers many possibilities: now species can change their own DNA. "We're seizing control of our evolution, in some sense," said Gregory Stock, the director of the Program on Science, Technology and Society the University of California at Los Angeles (Svitil 1998). UCLA has been focusing on germ-line therapy, which involves manipulating DNA in the sperm and egg which are germ cells. This also produces permanent, inheritable genetic alterations which is done through children. When an egg meets with a single sperm conception begins. The offspring will receive his/her makeup through the chromosomes carried by the sperm and egg. If the sperm and egg has been altered to carry a different kind of makeup, then the offspring's makeup will be different (Donatelle 1999). This contrasts with somatic gene therapy, a more limited technique in which genes are introduced just into particular tissue cells or cell lines that will not be passed along to the offspring. Unlike somatic therapy, germ-line therapy is not yet a reality yet. "The technology is moving so quickly that something is likely to be possible in the next few decades," said Stock, "We need to discuss it now, so that it doesn't spring unexpectedly upon us and the discussion shouldn't go on tucked into the recesses of a university (Svitil 1998)."This talk of genetic engineering can wipe out disease genes forever from a family tree, it also may cause a parent to try to extend their child's life span, or alter their personality, or to increase height, strength, and attractiveness? Germ...
