Biotechnology is defined as the use of biology to solve problems and make useful products, the most prominent area of biotechnology is the production of therapeutic proteins and o other drugs through genetic engineering.
Nowadays, biotechnology covers many different disciplines (eg. genetics, biochemistry, molecular biology, etc.)
New technologies and products are developed every year within the areas of eg. medicine (development of new medicines and therapies), agriculture (development of genetically modifies plants, biofuels, biological treatments (or industrial biotechnology (production of chemicals, paper, textiles, and food.)
What do we mean when saying genetic engineering?
Is the process of using recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology to alter the genetic makeup of an organism.
Traditionally, humans have manipulated genomes indirectly by controlling breeding and selecting offspring with desired cells. Genetic engineering involves the direct manipulation of one or more genes. Most often, a gene from another species is added to an organism´s genome to give it the desired phenotype.
Focusing on insulin and its function
Biotechnology is particularly important in the field of medicine, where it facilitates the production of therapeutic proteins and other drugs.
Synthetic insulin and growth hormone are just some examples of how biotechnology is impacting medicine.
For more than a decade, the biotechnology industry was dominated by recombinant DNA technology or genetic engineering.
Insulin is a hormone created by your pancreas, that controls the amount of glucose in your bloodstream at any given moment. It also helps store glucose in your liver, fat, and muscles. In the end, it regulates de metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
The hormone insulin is essential for the control of blood sugar levels. Without proper insulin function, your body won’t be able to store glucose in your muscles or liver but neither can it make any fat break down, and produces among other things, keto acids Diabetes mellitus is a disease in which some people cannot make insulin themselves.
Insulin has been used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus since 1922 when Leonard Thompson became the first human to receive an injection.
Production of genetic engineered Insulin
- Human insulin is extracted from pancreas cells and an insulin-producing gene is isolated.
- A DNA plasmid is extracted from a bacterium and cut with a restriction enzyme, forming a plasmid vector.
- Insert human insulin-producing gene into the bacterial plasmid vector to form the recombinant DNA of human insulin-producing gene
- Introduce this recombinant DNA into a bacterial cell to form a recombinant bacterium
- The recombinant bacteria multiply in a fermentation tank to produce human insulin
- Insulin is extracted, purified, and bottled. It is then ready to be injected into diabetic patients.
Why are 3D animations and illustrations important?
You may have read the process just explained and had to go back into it to completely understand how the production of insulin is, this is the reason why illustrations are important. If we resume this complex process in a highly detailed illustration, it will be easier to inform, explain and share.
Illustrations are not the only choice, at the same time 3D animation videos are the perfect way to visually show complex scientific concepts. This is a clear tool to help people have a better understanding of processes as it can be insulin production.
