Human Intervention In Evolution

Question 1

Artificial insemination

Answer 1

Collection of semen from a selected animal and introducing the semen by artificial means into the reproductive tract of the female.

Question 2

Cloning

Answer 2

Asexual reproduction in which genetic information of the new organism comes from one ‘parent’ cell only.

Question 3

GMOs (genetically modified organisms)

Answer 3

Any organism whose genetic make-up has been artificially changed - (genes from same or different species).
Some kind of modification to its genome.

Question 4

Transgenic organisms

Answer 4

An organism that possess a ‘foreign’ gene or segment of ‘foreign’ DNA in their genome.

Question 5

Gene therapy

Answer 5

The function of a faulty allele in an organism is replaced by the addition of a normally functioning allele of the gene concerned.

Question 6

Gene therapy vectors

Answer 6

RNA retroviruses and DNA adenovirus can be used as vectors.

Question 7

Genetic engineering

Answer 7

Scientific manipulation of DNA, usually the splicing of one gene from one organism to another.

Question 8

Genetic screening

Answer 8

DNA is sampled and analysed to look for the presence of one or more alleles associated with an inherited disorder.

Question 9

Stem cells

Answer 9

Are undifferentiated or precursor cells that have the ability to differentiate into many different and specialised cell types.

Question 10

Totipotent stem cells

Answer 10

Can give rise to all cell types.
Examples of totipotent: fertilised egg cell and 2-8 cell embryo.
Toti are the best for medical research.

Question 11

Pluripotent stem cells

Answer 11

Can give rise to most cell types, except those involved with embryos.
Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent.

Question 12

Multipotent stem cells

Answer 12

Can give rise to certain cell types .

Adult/somatic stem cells such as bone marrow stem cells and adipose stem cells are multipotent.

Question 13

Reproductive cloning

Answer 13

Reproductive cloning is to produce a new organism.

Question 14

Therapeutic cloning

Answer 14

Therapeutic cloning is to produce an embryo to obtain stem cells for the use in treatments.

Question 15

Artificial selection/selective breeding

Answer 15

Deliberate selection by the breeder for selective organisms to provide the genetic material for the next generation.

Question 16

Natural selection

Answer 16

Selection pressures act on phenotypes of members of a population.

Question 17

Speciation

Answer 17

Process leading to formation of a new species.

Question 18

IVF

Answer 18

Fertilisation of the egg by sperm outside the body.

Question 19

MOET (Multiple Ovulation and Embryo Transfer)

Answer 19

Female receives hormones to ovulate more than one egg. She is then given sperm to fertilise multiple eggs. At day 6-7 embryos are removed and one put into each of many females.

Question 20

Sex selection through sperm sorting

Answer 20

Choosing sperm to produce either male or female offspring.

Question 21

Artificial pollination

Answer 21

Humans artificially transferring pollen to the stigma of a flower.

Question 22

Sexual reproduction

Answer 22

Fusion of male and female gametes to produce genetically different offspring.

Question 23

Asexual reproduction

Answer 23

Production of genetically identical offspring.

Question 24

Infertility

Answer 24

Inability of sperm to meet the egg.