Define transgenic animals. Explain in detail any four areas where they can be utilised.

Transgenic animals are the animals which are genetically modified for various purposes. They contain a ‘transgene’ which is a foreign gene which is inserted into the target organism by various recombinant DNA technology methods to bring modifications in their gene expression.

Transgenic animals are utilized in the following four areas:

i) Biological studies: These animals are studied by various biologists and researchers to understand the physiology of animals and to understand how gene expression affects these animals.

ii) Increases yield product: Transgenic animals like cows and sheep have been modified to yield more milk or give better wool quality.

iii) Testing and clinical trials: Transgenic organisms like transgenic mice have been used widely for clinical trials and vaccine testing before the human trials.

iv) Diseases study and chemical safety testing: Transgenic animals are often used as biological models for understanding diseases like cancer and Parkinson’s disease and they are also used for testing the toxicity of a chemical. They give faster results without violating any human ethics.