Two autoradiographs, San Francisco, United States, 1984

2 autoradiographs, identifying the human blood factor VIII gene Two autoradiographs, San Francisco, United States, 1984 Two autoradiographs, San Francisco, United States, 1984

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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2 autoradiographs, identifying the human blood factor VIII gene
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

2 autoradiographs, identifying the human blood factor VIII gene and the mRNA for human blood factor VIII, prepared by Karen Wood at Genentech

An autoradiograph is used in decoding the structure of such key chemicals in the human body as DNA and RNA. One plate shows the human blood Factor VIII gene, which is involved in blood clotting. The other plate shows the messenger RNA (mRNA) for Factor VIII.

This work was particularly important as it could be used to help produce Factor VIII from genetically modified bacteria rather than from human blood. This product could be used to treat haemophilia and von Willebrand’s disease, which are both blood-clotting disorders. By using Factor VIII from bacteria rather than from human blood any risk of transmitting such blood-borne infections as AIDS and Hepatitis is eliminated. The work was conducted by the Genentech company based in South San Francisco, an area in which AIDS was unusually common in the 1980s.

Details

Category:
Biochemistry
Object Number:
1994-674
Measurements:
overall: 429 mm x 353 mm
type:
autoradiograph
credit:
Genentech Inc.