Japanese scientists, working at Mie University, have successfully deleted the chromosome causing Down syndrome, leading to the possibility of preventing the debilitating condition in the near future.
A summary of the research published on the Mie University website stated:
"A research team led by Dr. Ryotaro Hashizume from the Graduate School of Medicine (a member of the Unit for Genomic Manipulation and Technology Development) has developed a pioneering technique for eliminating the extra copy of chromosome 21 in cells derived from individuals with Down syndrome. Down syndrome is caused by trisomy, where there are three copies of chromosome 21 instead of the usual two, leading to intellectual developmental disabilities and other complications. Approximately one in every 700 births is affected by this condition. Until now, there has been no effective technology to eliminate the extra chromosome, which is the root cause of the syndrome, from the cells."
While a ground-breaking step, the research is still at the laboratory stage and not yet ready for human trials or therapeutic use.
The technique might theoretically be applied to embryos to prevent Down syndrome before birth, but this would require preimplantation genetic interventions, which are controversial and not universally accessible. Correcting it after birth is far more complex and currently infeasible.
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