1. Medical Implication of
Developmental Biology

2. Contents

Infertility
◦ Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART)
 In Vitro Fertilization
 Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)
 Ovary transfer
Developmental cancer therapy
 Gene therapy
 Stem cells and therapeutic cloning


3. Infertility
•
•
Inability to achieve or sustain pregnancy.
Not a disease.
•
80% by 1.5 years, beyond 2 years.
•
Failure of ovulation, physical blockage,
sperm defects.

4. In Vitro Fertilization

Assisted reproductive technology (ART).

Four steps
◦
◦
◦
◦
Ovarian stimulation
Eggs retrieval, aspiration
Fertilization, sperm collection and “washing”.
Embryo transfer.

6. Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection
Procedure in which a single sperm is injected directly
into an egg.
 In vitro fertilization.


7. Ovary Transfer

8. Developmental Cancer Therapy

Cancer can be seen as a result of altered
development.

9. Cancer Therapy- Angiogenesis
Inhibition

Angiogenesis
◦ The formation of new blood vessels.
◦ Is utilized to provide blood supply to a tumor
◦ Tumor cells secrete molecules such as
VEGF(Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor)

11. Angiogenesis Inhibition

Angiogenesis inhibitors are drugs that prevent
angiogenesis and hence prevent vascularization
from occurring.

Natural and synthetic inhibitors of angiogenesis
have been characterized by several groups.

Some angiogenesis inhibitors have been FDA
approved for humans

12. Gene Therapy

The insertion of normal or genetically altered genes into
cells usually to replace defective genes especially in the
treatment of genetic disorders.

Somatic cell gene therapy
◦ (e.g. through blood or liver stem cells)

Germ line gene therapy
◦ by modifying a germ cell or fertilized egg and transferring to
next generation.
◦ by modifying embryonic stem cells and making a body )

13. Stem Cell - Medicine

The human stem cells can be used to
produce new cells or organs
(neurons, blood cells, pancreas etc.) for
people with diseases or failing organs.