Transgender gene therapy?

Question

I browse this forum from time to time and notice the talk of transgendered folk. Since the human body was essentially undifferentiated until about the fifth or sixth week when the gender switch flips on (and those with Y gender chromosomes become males and the others become females). The differentiated organs essentially come from the same tissue buds, so is there any consideration, really, of gene therapy to flip the switches of the trans folk. I know that Japanese researchers have produced sperm cells from eggs and vice versa, and that human nose and ear cartilidge has been grown on the backs of mice, what if ovaries are regrown as testicles or testicles regrown as ovaries and simply moved to a new place? (Just a thought, seems like there would be a bigger market for that than mouse-grown replacement noses for those so unfortunate to have lost their originals). Anyway, here's the link to what started me thinking:http://www.nature.com/gt/journal/v6/n9/pdf/3300981a.pdf.

Added: Here is a nice summary of the RNA Interference technology: http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_technology/article2442003.ece

I'm just wondering if anyone has heard of anybody pointing that technology in the direction of helping the trans folk.

Answer 1

thanks for the info

Answer 2

Wanta, it seems that some talk for addressing biologically-transmitted disorders (Alzheimer, diabetes, and several cancers for example) the only DNA alteration a few folks were exploring was to make the other gene (as in from a parent without such a problematic gene) to be the one expressed (think dominant/recessive genes but making the recessive gene the dominant one and the previously dominant gene the recessive one). Gene therapy is often thought of as loading a virus with replacement DNA, infecting a person and hoping that the bug "infects" enough cells as to make the expected change. This is not that kind of "rewiring" if that is your picture.

Answer 3

IS THE MEDICAL PROFESSION STARTING AN ELIGIBILITY LIST FOR DNA MODIFICATION OF TRANS ADULTS USING GENE THERAPY? IF SO, I WOULD LIKE TO BE THE FIRST TO VOLUNTEER TO HAVE MY DNA MODIFIED FROM A MALES TO A FEMALES!

Answer 4

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