Gene therapy implant. A scientist's gloved hands prepare a gene therapy implant. The white fibrous implant, made up of synthetic and collagen fibres,

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Gene therapy implant. A scientist's gloved hands prepare a gene therapy implant. The white fibrous implant, made up of synthetic and collagen fibres, is mixed with genetically engineered cells in a petri dish. Such implants may in future cure inherited human diseases where a defective gene needs to be replaced. Using a harmless retrovirus, the healthy gene is inserted into normal cells grown in culture. These cells are cloned, made into an implant, then placed in the body. The gene in these implanted cells then produces the protein necessary to cure the disease. Photographed in Jean-Michel Heard's laboratory at the Pasteur Institute, Paris.

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Size: 3667px × 2516px
Photo credit: © PHILIPPE PLAILLY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: biochemistry, biotechnology, dna, gene, genetic, genetics, heard, implant, institute, pasteur, research, retrovirus, rsrch, technique, therapy, therpy, virus