Animal Biotechnology

Animal biotechnology is a discipline of biotechnology in which molecular biology techniques are used to genetically engineer (i.e. modify the genome of) animals. Animals engineered in this manner are more suitable for agricultural, industrial and/or pharmaceutical applications. Animal biotechnology is also used to produce genetically modified or transgenic animals that can synthesize therapeutic proteins, have improved growth rates, enhanced lean muscle mass or are enhanced resistance to diseases. Genetically engineered, transgenic poultry swine, goats and cattle have been developed, that can generate large quantities of human proteins, with the aim of using these proteins and other macromolecules as human pharmaceuticals (usually include enzymes, clotting factors, albumin and antibodies).