A transgenic (genetically modified) chicken is produced by introducing genetic material from another organism into a chicken embryo. This embryo may then develop into a transgenic chicken after hatching.
Some genetically modified characteristics may also be heritable, which means that the chicken’s offspring will inherit them.
Engineered chickens, which appear to be regular chickens from the outside, have been or are being produced for a variety of uses.
What Are Transgenic Chickens Used For?
Transgenic chickens are designed for medical and scientific research, as well as commercial production purposes.
They have been engineered to carry specific traits that can be used in various ways, such as producing proteins with medical or industrial value, or improving productivity in egg-laying hens.
For instance, chickens might be genetically modified to grow more quickly and have greater breast muscles.
Biopharm chickens are yet another illustration. These chickens were born from eggs that had human DNA injected into them. They are used in the creation of pharmaceutically useful compounds.
Some biopharmaceutical production lines create products like:
- Insulin
- Antibodies used to create vaccinations
- Cancer-fighting medication
The biopharmaceuticals are extracted from eggs rather than chickens’ blood.
What Are the Benefits of Transgenic Chickens?
Transgenic chickens offer many potential benefits over naturally occurring chickens.
For example, transgenic chickens may be resistant to disease, produce higher yields of eggs with better nutritional value, and even lay eggs that contain human therapeutic proteins for medical treatments.
Additionally, transgenics provide researchers with the ability to study gene function and expression in a living system.