MadSci Network: Genetics |
Theoretically yes, but not today as far as I know. Many paradigms in this area of cell differentiation have been broken in the last years. However the cellular machinery is far too complex to our simple minds. I believe that once we develop the right tools to analyse cell proteins, gene expression and how to interfere in these networks of reactions, we'll be able to reprogramme virtually any biological phenomena. The first examples in this area are the DNA, RNA and Protein microarrays, that analyse thousands of nucleotides sequences (DNA and RNA) or proteins simultaneously, and through multiparametric statistical analysis traces patterns, profiles that are more representative of the studied biological phenomena. These answers are coming from outside biology, from fields like complex systems physics, network behavior and so on... a field collectively known as complexity science.
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