TRANSGENIC ANIMALS: PRODUCTION AND APPLICATION

Organisms containing integrated sequences of cloned DNA (transgenes), transferred using techniques of genetic engineering (to include those of gene transfer and gene substitution) are called transgenic animals. The development of transgenic animals has been part of biotechnology research which has been expanding rapidly. Transgenic animals produced with the purpose of producing better and good quality breed, increased in milk yield, as well as to produce organs to meet the demand for organ transplantation. Genetically modified animals are proving ever more vital in the development of new treatments and cures for many serious diseases. Transgenesis is a radically new technology for altering the characteristics of animals by introducing the foreign genetic material. Now a day’s numbers of methods are available to produce transgenic animals like Pronuclear micro-injection, Embryonic stem (ES) cell manipulation, Cre-lox technique, Viral vectors, Cytoplasmic injection, Primordial germ cells, Nuclear transfer and Spermatogonial manipulation among them Lentiviral vectors and Chimera generation by injecting the pluripotent cells methods are becoming important tools for transgenesis and they contributed to human welfare in many ways such as in Agriculture, medicine, food, disease model, industrial purpose, drug development and research etc. The application of transgenic animals showed that within the next five to eight years genetically modified animals will play a significant and important role in the biomedical field, in particular via the production of valuable pharmaceutical proteins and the supply of xenografts. This paper attempts to give an idea about development of transgenic animals as well as their application for human welfare.