Thursday, July 14, 2011

Chapter 3: Handy Genes

So in retrospect, we're related to skates.. Never would I have thought of this theory, that is of course, until I read this chapter.

I find it so incredibly fascinating that Mr. Shubin and his buddies (Mr. Tubin, Mr. McMahon, Mr. Ingham, Mr. Dahn, etc.) could change the structure of limbs in certain organisms simply by injecting a Sonic hedgehog protein (Vitamin A), and in this process, alter the overall skeletal structure of a fin or wing. I found this astounding. Through this essential gene, we are able to alter and mutate other species, giving them an extra fin, hand, or wing! Shubin is right, the connections among living creatures is extremely deep, from a fly, to a shark, to a skate; no matter what the organism is, we are all related through some crazy structure or limb.

Now.. what if we could develop a gene/protein to make us grow an extra arm?...

Devin Larscheid

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