Gee whiz there Winthrop, a post so nice you posted it twice. Oops, make that thrice!
OK, I'll play your silly game...
The answer to your first set of questions is:
Don't you know what a profile is? Oops, sorry, I almost forgot-- no questions. OK, try this, click on my name. Golly gee, you can see my profile and all my most recent posts. And it's not even password protected. So much for conspiracy theories, eh?
As for your second set of questions:
Dammit, I'm a programmer not a doctor... but I'll do my doggone best here just for you.
difference between telomerase and bcl-2
First off, telomerase is an enzyme and bcl-2 is a gene (or protein if written as Bcl-2). Each time a cell replicates the telomeres shorten to the point where they just stop. In theory, putting telomerase back into a cell might rejuvinate it by restoring the telomeres to their original size. Problem is that cancer cells have the opposite problem, they never stop growing, so that putting telomerase back into cells might induce cancer.
So, what to do? Well, compromise. Somehow get the telomerase into the cell, restore the telomeres, and then "deactivate" it thus averting the threat of cancer. This could theoretically be accomplished by developing a vector (a delivery system) to get the hTRT gene, the one that makes telomerase, into the cell. Once there it would do its thing and then the body's natural defenses should dispose of it.
Seems really simple, doesn't it? Well, I could poke holes in just about every "assumption", from the role of telomeres in aging, to the efficacy of one type of vector vs. another, to side effects of the entire process. Suffice to say it will take years, maybe decades just to cure diseases related to aging, let alone aging itself.
As for Bcl-2, well, there's one sticky little problem relating to aging that's not necessarily related to telomeres. Seems that cells are programmed to kill themselves if they detect some internal problem. This is termed "apoptosis", or "programmed cell death". But, if that's true, then why do cancer cells not self-destruct? Well, it appears they have an over expression of the protein Bcl-2. Once again, the key is to either develop a drug or some sort of vector to get into the cell and stop the production of Bcl-2.
So far so good?
3 main type of backbones OR how a backbone differs from a vector
Don't rightly know what you're getting at here. As far as I know, "backbone" is a term relating to DNA, or, more precisely the sugar phosphate component that make up that curvy part (Sorry, I have no diagrams). I infer from your question that because you are comparing a backbone to a vector it must be some alternative delivery system to get a gene into a cell or something.
BTW, in case you forgot, I explained what a vector was in answering your last question, although I didn't get into any details about the myriad of vector types from which to choose. But, just to satisfy you, I'll add that a vector is usually a crippled virus or at least one foreign to the body. We all know that viruses are great at getting into cells so why not use that to our advantage by piggybacking a gene on it. Once in, the gene does its thing and the virus just gets ignored. Of course pick the wrong virus and you have just infected someone with it! Bummer! If I had a dollar for every vector that worked in a test tube...
OK, whew, nice way to blow off a Sunday evening.
Now, your turn. One question:
Are you an employee of CYGS, or someone who has ever been paid cash or stock to promote their stock or to advise them in any way?
- Jeff
Disclaimer: This response is not made by an employee or paid promoter of CYGS and is therefore in no need of protection under the SEC Disclosure Act of 1984. Investment in the securities of any company that fails to make material disclosures is imprudent and not recommended. If this post as written is not clearly understood by the recipient, ignorance is not an excuse. |
