title: The promise of gene therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The promise of gene therapy performed in the preimplantation and prenatal periods of pregnancy is rapidly becoming a reality. New technologies capable of making designed changes in single nucleotides make germline gene therapy possible. The article reviews the ethical and technical challenges of germline gene therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and related technologies are capable of deleting and inserting specific DNA sequences in mutated genes so as to correct the targeted DNA. The ability to target specific gene mutations will offer unique opportunities to at risk families, particularly those whose genotypes prevent any chance of a normal pregnancy outcome. Other applications of gene-modifying technologies on gametes, zygotes, and embryos are likely in the near future.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There will be renewed debates on the potentially controversial applications of these technologies because of their capability to genetically alter the human germline and thereby future generations.
authors: aNorthwestern Reproductive Genetics, Inc. bDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors: Eugene
authors: E
authors: Pergament
mesh_terms: D064112:Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats; D005260:Female; D005817:Genetic Counseling; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000941:ethics / Q000639:trends*; D015894:Genome, Human; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*