What is the purpose of growing lymphocytes from the blood of a patient in gene therapy for ADA deficiency?
What is the purpose of growing lymphocytes from the blood of a patient in gene therapy for ADA deficiency?
To detect mutated genes
To detect antigens in ELISA
To deliver functional ADA cDNA into the patient
To detect antibodies synthesized against pathogen
Solution
As a first step towards gene therapy for ADA deficiency, lymphocytes from the patient's blood are grown in a culture outside the body and a functional ADA cDNA (using a retroviral vector) is introduced into these lymphocytes, which are subsequently returned to the patient.