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Difficulty: EasyBiotechnology and Nanotechnology

Somatic gene therapy targets non-reproductive cells of the body, and therefore any genetic modifications introduced during the treatment cannot be passed on to the patient's offspring.

Answer: Answer

Answer

True
Somatic gene therapy targets non-germline body cells such as bone marrow, liver, or lung tissues. As a result, the therapeutic genetic edits remain confined to the patient and are not passed down to future generations. Inheritable genetic edits are exclusively achieved through germline gene editing.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the target cell type specified in somatic gene therapy.
Somatic gene therapy targets non-reproductive body cells (e.g., bone marrow, muscle, or respiratory cells).
Understanding cell type classification is essential to determine whether genetic changes can be inherited.
2
Evaluate the inheritability of genetic changes made to somatic cells.
Because germline cells (eggs and sperm) remain untouched, the genetic changes affect only the treated individual and cannot be inherited by offspring.
Only genetic alterations in reproductive (germline) cells are passed on to the next generation.

Key Concept

Distinction between somatic and germline gene therapy
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Topics

Biotechnology and Nanotechnology

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