Question 9 of 28intermediate🧠 RememberShort Answer3 marks

Write a short note on humatrope and Protropin.

Correct Answer

Humatrope and Protropin are genetically engineered human growth hormone products marketed in 1985. These were produced using rDNA technology by inserting the human growth hormone gene into bacterial cells in the absence of signal peptide sequence.

Human Growth Hormone (HGH) is a peptide hormone containing 191 amino acids that promotes body growth by increasing amino acids, lipids and carbohydrate metabolism during childhood and adulthood. Childhood deficiency of HGH leads to Dwarfism.

Before these genetically engineered products, HGH was obtained from cadaver pituitary glands. This conventional method required more than 80 cadavers for one year's treatment, was expensive, and carried the risk of developing disease from infected brain tissue of cadavers.

Exercise: EXERCISES | Q: 10
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Explanation

The answer covers the key points about Humatrope and Protropin from the textbook: their identity as genetically engineered HGH products, year of marketing (1985), production method using rDNA technology in bacterial cells, and the medical context of HGH deficiency and dwarfism treatment. It also explains why genetically engineered HGH was needed - to replace the risky and expensive cadaver-based extraction method.

Solution Steps

  1. Step 1: Identify Humatrope and Protropin as genetically engineered human growth hormones from the context

  2. Step 2: Note the production year (1985) and method (rDNA technology in bacterial cells without signal peptide)

  3. Step 3: Explain the function of HGH and the problem of dwarfism it treats

  4. Step 4: Contrast with the earlier cadaver-based method to show the significance of these engineered products

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