 |
|
Practice Commentary
Noralane M. Lindor, MD
Arch Fam Med. 1992;1(1):120.
|
|
| Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings. |
|
|
|
The knowledge base of human genetics has experienced an expansion of historic proportion in the last decade due to the development of the tools of molecular research including restriction enzymes, Southern blotting, gene sequencing techniques, and polymerase chain reaction. With a handful of powerful tools, the geneticist can study any of thousands of genes, all of which are capable of causing human disease, and identify the precise nucleic acid defect leading to the abnormality. The agonizing era of being able to treat only the end-stage symptoms of many genetic disorders has seen the beginning of the end. The capacity to manipulate DNA to insert a gene that replaces a defective gene offers new and very realistic hope for true cures by means of gene therapy for conditions such as cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, inborn errors of metabolism/enzyme deficiencies, and cancers.
The physician in a busy practice is undoubtedly aware that
. . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]
Author Affiliations
Rochester, Minn
|
