In his presentation at the 1998 Cambridge meeting, James Wilson characterized gene
therapy as a novel approach in its very early stages. Its 36____. , he said, is to change the
expression of some genes in an attempt to treat, cure, or ultimately 37____. disease. Current gene
therapy is primarily experiment based, with a few early human clinical trials under way.
Theoretically, he continued, gene therapy can be targeted to somatic (body) or germ (egg
and sperm) cells. In somatic gene therapy the recipient's genome is changed, but the 38____. is
not passed along to the next generation. This form of gene therapy is 39____. with germline gene
therapy, in which a goal is to pass the change on to 40____. . Germline gene therapy is not being
actively investigated, 41____. in larger animals and humans, although a lot of discussion is being
conducted about its value and desirability.
Gene therapy should not be 42____. with cloning, which has been in the 43____. so much
in the past year, Wilson continued. Cloning, which is creating another individual with essentially
the same genetic makeup, is very different from gene therapy.
Listing three scientific 44____. in gene therapy, Wilson emphasized the concept of vehicles
called vectors (gene carriers) to deliver therapeutic genes to the patients' cells. 45____. the gene is in
the cell, it needs to operate correctly. Patients' bodies may reject treatments, and, finally, there is
the need to regulate gene expression. Wilson expressed optimism that many groups are making
headway and cooperating to overcome all these obstacles.
【題組】42. (A) confused (B) diffused (C) mediated (D) supplied