Question

Which statement regarding gene therapy is accurate?

A) Gene therapy is only applicable for treating infectious diseases.
B) Gene therapy can only modify the DNA of somatic cells, not germline cells.
C) Gene therapy aims to introduce, alter, or delete specific genes to treat or prevent genetic disorders.
D) Gene therapy is primarily focused on enhancing human intelligence.

Answer 1

Gene therapy aims to introduce, alter, or delete genes to treat genetic disorders. It uses vectors like viruses to deliver healthy genes to replace defective ones in somatic cells.

Step-by-step explanation:

The accurate statement regarding gene therapy is: C) Gene therapy aims to introduce, alter, or delete specific genes to treat or prevent genetic disorders. Gene therapy involves delivering a functional gene to compensate for a defective one, using vectors such as viruses to carry the therapeutic DNA into the patient's cells. While still experimental, it has shown promise in treating genetic diseases like severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) and is not limited to treating infectious diseases or enhancing human intelligence. However, most gene therapy research currently focuses on somatic cells, not germline cells, to avoid passing genetic changes to offspring.