Recombinant

From Noblood

rê-kòm´be-nent] Technique where geneticists take genes that are from another source and place these into a cell's nucleus.

Recombinant describes the technique where geneticists take genes that are from another source and place these into a cell's nucleus. Once in the cell, these recombinant (or recombined) genes may produce substances that the cell would not normally do. These products can include various biological proteins that the body uses.

Researchers in the last two decades have discovered many of the proteins that regulate life's functions. Once identified, these proteins are analyzed as to content and structure. With this information, scientists then reprogram the genes of other cells to synthetically produce these proteins. Doctors are now in the position to use these synthetically produced biological proteins to treat disease in the body.

Some of the more famous of these recombinantly produced products include insulin (Humulin), interferons, hemoglobin (Optro), interleukins, erythropoietin and other cytokines. Many of these proteins make it possible to treat patients without using blood.