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Tadpole Technology

Posted on Wednesday, April 21, 2010 in Uncategorized

Tadpole Technology
In what major theme of biology would you categorize the generation of functional eyes from pluripotent eyes?

Researchers in the article I read for biology showed that pluripotent cells could be directed to produce all the retinal cell types needed to form a functional eye in the frog, Xenopus laevis. They demonstrated that by turning on just seven genes in frog pluripotent stem cells, tadpoles that would otherwise be blind can develop functional eyes from the transplanted cells. They drove stem cells to develop into a particular cell type and managed to generate a complete and functioning tissue. Once again my question is, which theme of biology does this information demonstrate?

Choose one of these themes.
-Structure/& Function
-Evolution
-Homeostasis
-Energy
-Ecology
-Technology & Society
-Development

If I had to choose one, it would be Development.

It is also related to Structure & Function, and to Evolution. But this is clearly about an essential feature of Development ... namely, that large macrostructures may be regulated by a small number of genes.

Drum solo 4

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