Transgenic pig

1. TRANSGENIC PIGS
Dr. Trilok Mandal (BVSc & AH)
Department of Animal Breeding and
Genetics (MSc)
Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU)
Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal
Email: trilokmandal97@gmail.com

2. INTRODUCTION
• Transgenesis is the process by which mixing up of genes takes
place.
• Transgenic animals are the animals with modified genome
containing foreign DNA.
• Transgenic technology has led to the development of fishes,
livestock and other animals with altered genetic profiles which are
useful to mankind.
• First transgenic animal= ‘supermouse’ created by Ralph Brinster
and Richard Palmiter in 1982.
• First transgenic pig= by microinjection of DNA into new
pronucleus of a zygote in 1985.

3. • Rodents are most favored animals used as models because of their
short generation interval, size, availability and housing cost.
• However, because of physiological difference it obstruct the direct
application of knowledge to human medicine.
• Pigs have similar physiology to humans thus, can serve as an
important biomedical model for human diseases.
• The use of swine in biomedical research has gained much
importance in studies related to various CVS disease, diabetes,
cancer biology, pharmacology, injury and repair etc.

4. PRODUCTION OF TRANSGENIC
ANIMALS
• Construction of transgene:
It consists of three parts-
1. Promoter
2. Gene to be expressed
3. Termination sequence

5. • Introduction of foreign gene into the animal
1. Retrovirus mediated gene transfer:
Retrovirus= vectors for integrating the transgene into the genome
of a recipient cell.
Limitation:
-Transfer only small pieces of DNA
-Risk of retroviral contamination
Not regularly use today

6. 2. DNA microinjection (Pronuclear method)
Pronuclear method is a technique used to create transgenic organisms
by injecting genetic material into the nucleus of a fertilized occyte.
For the successful of this method, genetic material must be injected
while genetic material from the oocyte and sperm are separate (i.e.
pronuclear phase).

7. • Embryonic stem cell mediated gene transfer
Embryonic stem cells are cells which have the ability to differentiate
into all other cell types.
They are able to self renew indefinitely in vitro while preserving the
development potential. to reconstitute all embryonic lineages,
ability has termed ‘naive’ pleuripotency.

9. APPLICATION OF TRANSGENIC
PIGS
• Xenotransplantation: xenograft is organ transplanted from one
species to another and transplantation of living cells, tissues and
organ from one species to another.
Pigs as animal organ donor-
Easy to breed
Pathogen free pig breeds
Similar physiology as human
Risk of infection lower in non-human primates

10. • Production of human hemoglobin in blood of transgenic pigs for
isolation and treatment of trauma patients.
• Transgenic pigs used as model for different diseases such as
retinitis, cvs diseases, diabetes etc.
• Production of human and pig hybrid organs.
• Transgenic porcine liver expressing albumin gene are being used
as bio-artifical liver support system.