Application of genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

The field of medicine has in the past decades seen the production of many biotherapeutics and/or drugs from genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Many safer and cheaper vaccines and other drugs have been produced from GMOs. For example, injectable insulin (which is used to treat and manage diabetes mellitus disease in diabetic patients) was traditionally produced […]

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Biotechnology, , ,

GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS (GMOs)

Genetically modified organisms(GMOs) are living organisms including plants and microorganisms whose genetic material has been artificially manipulated through genetic engineering or recombinant DNA technology in a laboratory. The term GMO also encompasses any living organism that possesses a novel combination of genetic materials obtained from various sources through the use of modern biotechnology. The genetic

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Biotechnology, , , , , ,

MAJOR HISTOCOMPATIBILITY COMPLEX (MHC) MOLECULES

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) moleculesalso known as human leukocyte antigens (HLA) complex are a large set of cell surface protein molecules that are controlled by a collection of polymorphic genes known as the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) which are located on chromosome 6 in humans and on chromosome 17 in mice. The MHC is a

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Immunology & Immune System, , ,

IMMUNE SYSTEM CELLS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS

All the cells of the immune system inclusive of blood cells originate from the bone marrow during haematopoiesis from progenitor haematopoietic stem cells. Haematopoiesis is simply defined as the biological process involved in the formation of blood cells (i.e. white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets) and other cellular components of blood particularly the

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Immunology & Immune System, ,

POLYOMAVIRIDAE FAMILY

Polyomaviridae family contains DNA tumourviruses like the Papillomaviridae family. Polyomavirus is the only viral genera or genus in the Polyomaviridae family. They are so named because the polyomaviruses causes tumour in various organs of the body including the kidneys, ureters, bladder, brain and bones. However, there are various genotypes of viruses in this family that

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Virology, , , , , , ,

PAPILLOMAVIRIDAE FAMILY

Theviral family Papillomaviridae comprises of papillomaviruses (abbreviated as PVs); and they were previously classified together with polyomavirus in the Papovaviridae family which is no longer in use in viral taxonomy for DNA containing viruses. Papillomavirus is the only viral genome in the Papillomaviridae family; and the papillomaviruses are oncogenic i.e. they are cancer-causing viruses. Human

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Virology, , , , , ,

INCUBATION & STERILIZATION TECHNIQUE

Microorganisms are incubated in the incubator at different temperatures and time interval depending on the oxygen requirement of the organisms amongst other vital conditions required for optimum growth. Incubation technique is a microbiological procedure which is used to maintain microbial cultures of culture media at a particular ambient temperature at different time intervals. Microbial cultures

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Culture media, Techniques in Microbiology Lab, , ,

CULTURING TECHNIQUE

Culturing technique is used for the propagation of microorganisms in the microbiology laboratory; and it is an important procedure required for studying the morphological characteristics of microbes especially on solid culture media. Microorganisms are cultured in various ways and in various conditions using different growth media (inclusive of solid media or broth/liquid media). Bacterial growth

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Bacteriology, Culture media, Techniques in Microbiology Lab, , , ,

ESCHERICHIA COLI

Escherichia coli is a facultative, enteric, Gram-negative, motile/flagellated, and lactose-fermenting rod that occur in the genus Escherichia and family Enterobacteria or Enterobacteriaceae. Enterobacteriaceae are bacteria that naturally exist in the intestinal tract of animals and humans, and also found in water and soil. Because the natural habitat of E. coli is the intestinal tract of

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Bacteriology, , , , , , ,

CLOSTRIDIUM BOTULINUM

Clostridium botulinum is a Gram-positive, strict-anaerobic, motile, pleomorphic, catalase-negative, endospore-forming bacillus (rod) that is ubiquitously found in the soil. The endopores of C. botulinum are sub-terminally placed or located on the bacterium and they are oval in shape. C. botulinum is found in the genus Clostridium and class Clostridia; and members are known to cause

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Bacteriology,