Class 10 MAHARASHTRA STATE TEXTBOOK BUREAU Solutions Science Chapter 8 - Cell Biology and Biotechnology

1. Methods like artificial insemination and embryo transplant are mainly used for animal husbandry.
2. Stem cell research is the revolutionary event in biotechnology after cloning.
3. The disease related with the synthesis of insulin is diabetes.
4. Government of India has encouraged the aquaculture for improving the productivity by launching NKM-16.

1. Non-genetic biotechnology involves use of either cell or tissue.
2. Gene from Bacillus thuringiensis is introduced into cotton.

Biotechnology: Professional uses

Biotechnology can be used in the professional fields of crop biotechnology, animal husbandry and human health.

Crop biotechnology:

• It involves the improvement in the yield and variety of agricultural crops.
• Hybrid seeds, genetically modified crops, herbicide tolerant plants are some of the areas in which a lot of biotechnological research is being done.
• By such research, high yielding and disease resistant varieties and varieties which can tolerate stresses such as alkalinity, weeds, cold and drought are produced.
• Bt cotton, Bt Brinjal and golden rice are some genetically modified plants which have become popular in India.
• The weeds are now selectively destroyed due to herbicide tolerant plants.
• The use of chemical fertilizers has reduced due to the increasing use of biofertilizers. Use of bacteria such as Rhizobium, Azotobacter, Nostoc, Anabaena and plants like Azolla, nitrogen fixation and phosphate solubilization abilities of the plants are improved.

Animal husbandry:

• It includes the use of methods such as artificial insemination and embryo transfer by which the breeds of cattle are improved.

Human Health:

• Diagnosis and treatment of diseases have to be focussed in order to improve and manage human health.
• Diagnosis of diabetes, heart diseases and infectious diseases such as AIDS and dengue can be done rapidly using biotechnology.
• The treatment and prevention of diseases need hormones, interferons, antibiotics and different vaccines which are now manufactured through biotechnology.
• Gene therapy is also used to treat hereditary disorders.
• Industrial products and clean technology to combat environmental pollution utilises biotechnology practices.
• DNA fingerprinting has revolutionized the profession of forensic science.

Importance of medicinal plants

• In Ayurveda practices, natural remedies were used to cure diseases.
• Since India had great biodiversity and traditional knowledge of herbal medicines, people depended on such medicinal plants for the treatment of diseases.
• In olden days, medicinal herbs were collected by roaming in the jungles. Such important herbs are now cultivated with care.
• In the entire world, people have understood the importance of herbs like holy basil (tulsi), Adulsa and Jyesthmadh.
• Plant extracts are used in some allopathy medicines too.
• Medicines made from harmful chemicals have side-effects and are not safe to be used without medical supervision.
• Therefore, world-wide herbal remedies are gaining more popularity.

• The simplest use of biotechnology that we practice at home is making curd and buttermilk.
• A basic technique of biotechnology called fermentation is used in the process of making foodstuffs, like bread, idli-dosa and dhokla.
• Now-a-days, different types of cheese, paneer, yoghurt and energy drinks are produced with the help of biotechnology. We are consuming these in our daily life.
• Seedless grapes, papaya, and watermelons are available in the market these days.
• Violet cabbage, yellow capsicum and exotic vegetables used for salad are also biotechnology products.
• Vaccines, antibiotics and injections of human insulin are in regular use in many house-holds.

Precautions to be taken during spraying of pesticides:

• Pesticides are toxic chemicals sprayed on crops which offer protection against insect pests.
• Indiscriminate use of pesticides contaminates water, soil and even crops.
• Chemicals such as DDT, chloropyriphos and malathion are very dangerous. They spread through the food chain causing biomagnification.
• Therefore, instead of insecticides and pesticides, it is better to use organic pesticides. Excessive use of chemicals should be avoided.
• At the time of spraying, nose, eyes and skin should be covered and protected.
• Care should be taken not to allow children or domestic animals to come in contact with pesticides.

• Human body can be in good health, if all the vital organs of the body function properly.
• Brain, kidney, heart and liver are some vital organs which are extremely essential for proper metabolism and functioning of the body.
• Sense organs are also of utmost importance for perceiving the stimuli from the environment.
• One cannot survive if any of these vital organs are not functioning properly.
• Improper functioning of certain organs such as heart can be treated by performing surgeries.
• However, any problem to these vital organs make life miserable, and therefore, they are said to be valuable for life.

Importance of fruit processing in human life:

• Fruits are perishable food items. They are spoilt soon if not consumed immediately. Hence, for a long term storage and usage, their preservation is absolutely essential.
• For year-long use of the fruits, they are dried, salted, packed in air tight containers, used for preparing jams and jellies or condensed into pulps or syrups. Beverages, pickles, sauces, and various other products made from fruits are largely consumed by us.
• The preserved products also fetch financial benefits. In national and international markets, Indian fruits like mangoes are in great demand. We can get foreign currency through exports of such fruits and fruit products.
• The local horticulturists get good benefit from their orchards.
• Processed fruit products provide us with vitamins and minerals that help in maintaining good health.
• Thus, fruit processing is important for human life.

• Vaccination is the administration of a vaccine.
• Vaccine is an antigen given to a person or even to animals for producing antibodies and acquiring immunity against a particular disease-causing pathogen.
• In olden days, vaccines were prepared with the help of completely killed or partially killed pathogens. However, this method was not found to be suitable for all. Some people were allergic to such raw vaccines or they contracted the same disease through such vaccines.
• Hence, in recent times vaccines are produced by using biotechnology. These vaccines are artificially synthesised in the laboratories.
• The antigen is produced with the help of gene derived from the pathogen. Such vaccines become safe for administering.
• The antigenic proteins are injected to the people to make their immune system strong and capable of fighting off the infection.
• Also, this process of vaccination is absolutely safe.
• The vaccines are more thermostable and active for a longer period of time.

1. Insulin : Diabetes :: Interleukin : Cancer.
2. Interferon : Viral infection :: Erythropoietin : Anaemia.
3. Somatostatin : Dwarfness :: Factor VIII : Haemophilia.
4. White revolution : Dairy :: Blue revolution : Fishery.

Usefulness of biotechnology:

• Biotechnology has proved to be useful in the field of agriculture, medicine, clean technology and industrial products.
• Due to various biotechnological experiments, food production has increased substantially. Milk and milk products are now freely available. Due to abundant food supply, people no longer die of starvation.
• The sophisticated vaccines have stopped the spread of epidemics. Diseases like diabetes can be controlled due to human insulin injections that can be manufactured through biotechnology.
• Problems of pollution control, solid waste management and depletion of fuels are partially tackled by biotechnological alternatives.
• In spite of such positive aspects, biotechnology does possess certain problems.

Harmfulness of biotechnology:

• The genetic changes are breaking the principles of nature. By inserting human genes in bacteria or viruses, products that are needed only for humans are produced.
• Human cloning is also a debatable issue. It may result in social and ethical problems.
• If man tries to manipulate the genomes of other living organisms, it will cause disturbances in the natural balance. The long-term effects of all such genetic manipulations can be disastrous.
• Thus, according to some views, biotechnology can be dangerous too.