What might be an advantage of beginning gene therapy prior to birth?
What might be an advantage of beginning gene therapy prior to birth?
This would give the body plenty of time to utilise the new genes.
The body would not reject it as it has not yet recognised 'self'.
The cells being extremely young, are more receptive to gene therapy.
Probably there is not any advantage.
Solution
There are great advances in the identification and construction of genes but attempts at inserting them and coaxing them to function normally within human body have not been successful. The immune system destroys cells expressing the newly inserted genes. Parental gene therapy or gene therapy prior to birth overcomes this problem as the body does not reject them. Recognition of 'self' and 'foreign' is not developed at this stage.