Having a baby used to be simple. There was no way of knowing
the sex, health, or potential ability until the baby was welcomed into the
world. Society and technology have come a long way since then. In part
one of this series, we learned that people can screen embryos not only for
diseases and disorders, but also for gender.
The company that planned to offer parents an opportunity to
select their baby's hair and eye color has since suspended its program,
but is this offering gone forever? Many would say no, and that the issue will
appear again in various ways. For some, selecting cosmetic traits for their
child may not be the most important issue. But what if you could find out what
natural abilities your baby will be born with?
That is where Atlas Sports Genetics comes into play.
According to its website, Atlas Genetics (the "Atlas" is an acronym for
Athletic Talent Laboratory Analysis System) determines the level of the ACTN3
gene, which may provide insight into what kind of athlete a child was born to
become.
What is ACTN3?
Alpha-actinin-3 is a protein in humans that is encoded by
the ACTN3 gene, depending on the variant. All humans have two copies of the
ACTN3 gene – one from each parent. Like many genes, ACTN3 can take two
completely different paths: the R variant or the X variant. The R variant of
ACTN3 allows the body to produce the alpha-actinin-3 protein, which builds more
fast-twitch muscles. The X variant blocks the protein.
According to researchers, people who inherit two sets of the
R variant could be naturally engineered for power sports like football, weight
lifting, sprinting, etc. People carrying two copies of the X variant are said
to have better stamina. "Mixed pattern people", those with one copy of the X
variant, may have a natural endurance while excelling in power sports.
How Does the Test
Work?
Atlas offers a range of home-analysis tests that are
dependent on the child's age. To
administer the test, parents swab the inside of the child's mouth with two
cotton swabs, seal the swabs in a bag, and then mail the bag to Atlas'
Australian lab.
Although the prospects for this research seems promising to some, many
experts remain skeptical and would like to see more research done before the
test. In a recent New York Times article, Dr. Theodore Friedmann,
director of the University of California-San Diego Medical Center's
interdepartmental gene therapy program, referred to ACTN3 testing as "an
opportunity to sell new versions of snake oil."
"This may or may not be quite that venal, but I would like to see a lot more
research done before it is offered to the general public, "said Friedmann. "I don't
deny that these genes have a role in athletic success, but it's not that black
and white."
Setting High
Expectations?
Scattered genetic experts, therapists, and coaches worry
that if parents find out their child is genetically predisposed to excel in a
specific type of event or sport, the parents will then push the child too hard.
William Morgan, an expert on the philosophy of ethics and sport, shares this
worry. "This just contributes to the madness about sports because there are
some parents who will just go nuts over the results…The problem here is that
the kids are not old enough to make rational autonomous decisions about their
own life," he said.
What do you think?
Resources:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29496350/
http://atlasgene.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=6&chapter=0
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/sports/30genetics.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
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Re: Knowing Exactly What You Want For Your Baby (Part 2)
