The Composition Of Things With A Genetically Engineered Organelle

By Mark Thomas


The thing about the body that a human being comes packaged in is that its not just one singular entity. Yes, it may look that way, but its in fact made of up of several different and interconnected parts, each layering over or working alongside the other into create a singular person. That is true in pretty much everything in life. Nothing is ever just one thing. It is always made up of smaller parts. In the same sense, the most infinitesimal of building blocks also have building blocks of their own, which can be controlled to some extent, like in the case of a genetically engineered organelle.

The first thing to do is to explain just what exactly an organelle is. It is a lot like the internal organs that a human body has in order to properly function. The main difference is that it is obviously a lot smaller.

Take for example the mitochondria. Yes, there be many jokes on the internet about how it is the powerhouse of a cell, mostly by adults who learned about it in high school and yet never learned anything useful like how to register to vote or acquire their own health insurance. But that is exactly what it is. It is the part of the cell that turns energy into a form that a cell can use.

Now up for explanation is genetic engineering. It is when the genetic structure of an organism is altered to some extent. This is generally done with by an outside entity. In essence, it is fairly similar evolution. Except that it is done by a human scientist as opposed to nature.

There are a number of applications for the practice. Take the field of agriculture as an example. Crops can be modified. They can be made to grow more and grow faster. They can also be made more resistant to pests, nullifying a huge amount of the need for pesticides. They can also be made to travel better, so that they can be shipped off to more places.

But there are some ethical implications to the practice. For example, there are those who fear the concept of designer babies, where germ line editing is done to an embryo in order to remove the risk of things like heart disease and other diseases. But there are those who fear that this will lead to a recurrence in eugenics.

Scientists who can conduct the requisite experiments can be found. They are not going to be easily found, but they do exist. A quick search for specialist in the field of biology and chemistry and genetics should lead to some names. Another great way is to go to a research university, where many of the professors teaching there are also high level scientists.

But, the scientific method should be observed at all times. Most scientists will not have to be reminded of this. Not to mention that the experiments should start slow. Human testing is not something that should be attempted right away. Then there are the ethics. It is advisable that the experiments conducted come with a minimal risk of injury.

Progress is the nature of the world. There be those who can push that progress forward. They should just be given the opportunity to do so. There be those who look to stop them, however the thing about progress is that its not something that can be denied. It will happen, it can be slowed down, however it can never be stopped.




About the Author: