Metabolic engineering definition

Mammalian cells allow the production of complex biopharmaceutical proteins. Advances in the generation of stable recombinant clones, media formulation, and process and fermentor design have significantly increased yields over the past two decades. Exciting networks across the pro-teome and transcriptome are elucidated that show the enormous potential still hidden in mammalian cells. The near future will definitely show further improvement with cell lines specifically designed and metabolically engineered for industrial-scale production of biopharmaceuticals. 

Though the redesign of life forms for the benefit of mankind is definitely an exciting career, metabolic engineers are paying particular attention to ethical, legal, and political issues. To continue in this work, the field as a whole will need sustained support from the public and government. 

Insulin is a complex protein molecule produced by the pancreas in all vertebrates. This hormone regulates carbohydrate metabolism. Inability to produce insulin results in diabetes mellitus. Diabetes is treated by injections of insulin. Given the law of definite proportion, would you expect any differences in chemical activity between human insulin extracted from pancreatic tissue and human insulin produced by genetically engineered bacteria Why or why not ... 

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