Open AccessGene therapy: An overview
Author(s) -
Sudip Indu,
Vengalathur Ganesan Ramesh,
Nirima Oza,
Karthikshree V Prashad
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of orofacial sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.171
H-Index - 6
eISSN - 2320-4737
pISSN - 0975-8844
DOI - 10.4103/0975-8844.124249
Subject(s) - genetic enhancement , gene , viral vector , gene delivery , biomedicine , vector (molecular biology) , gene transfer , cell function , computational biology , vectors in gene therapy , biology , bioinformatics , cell , medicine , genetics , recombinant dna
Gene therapy "the use of genes as medicine" involves the transfer of a therapeutic or working copy of a gene into specific cells of an individual in order to repair a faulty gene copy. The technique may be used to replace a faulty gene, or to introduce a new gene whose function is to cure or to favorably modify the clinical course of a condition. The objective of gene therapy is to introduce new genetic material into target cells while causing no damage to the surrounding healthy cells and tissues, hence the treatment related morbidity is decreased. The delivery system includes a vector that delivers a therapeutic gene into the patient′s target cell. Functional proteins are created from the therapeutic gene causing the cell to return to a normal stage. The vectors used in gene therapy can be viral and non-viral. Gene therapy, an emerging field of biomedicine, is still at infancy and much research remains to be done before this approach to the treatment of condition will realize its full potential