Genetic Manipulation to Improve Athletes Performance - A Critical Review

Abstract

Genetic manipulation as the name suggests is the modification of genes. It is the process of changing the structure of the genes of a living thing in order to make it healthier, stronger, or more useful. It is the direct manipulation of an organism’s genes using biotechnology used to change the genetic makeup of cells including transfer of genes. The need of genetic modification is to enhance the performance of particular genes, this method is implemented effectively to enhance the quality of food, fight various chronic diseases like cancer, cloning etc. However, this paper is limited to the use of genetic manipulation to enhance Athletics performance of the athletes and healing process of the cells. There are various contradictory thoughts over the use of genetic manipulation in Athletics over its use being ethical or unethical. There have been various normative arguments both in favor and against its use in Athletics. However, no competent authority has prohibited its use in Athletics. There are various methods involved in gene modification, few prominent are discussed in this paper. Genetic manipulation, the process of inducing changes in gene expression and the expression of novel genes, has proven to be an indispensable tool in recent genetic research. The implementation of increasingly powerful genetic tools to mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells has led to an explosion of data concerning the specific properties of an extremely large array of genes. Current available techniques allow for the specific elimination of target gene expression, tissue specific induction of reporter gene expression, the over expression of cellular genes, and more. It is not surprising, therefore, that a short time after the derivation of human ES cells, several studies describing genetic manipulation of these cells have been reported. This focuses on the recent advances in the genetic manipulation of human ES cells, the methods currently available, and their possible utilization. A brief discussion of advanced genetic manipulation techniques not yet demonstrated in these cells is also presented. Through this paper the author has tried to summarize various methods, aspects, approaches and arguments involved with genetic modification in Athletic persons.