Four different breeds of pigs were being investigated for their potential as organ donors for humans - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 24 - 2003 - Paper 1
Question 24
Four different breeds of pigs were being investigated for their potential as organ donors for humans. Samples of heart-muscle proteins were prepared from each of the... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Four different breeds of pigs were being investigated for their potential as organ donors for humans - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 24 - 2003 - Paper 1
Step 1
Identify the different breeds of pigs
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Answer
The different breeds of pigs being investigated are likely identified as breed 1, breed 2, breed 3, and breed 4. In the context of the experiment, they each have heart-muscle proteins that could potentially evoke responses from the antibodies.
Step 2
Describe the types of antibodies used in the experiment
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Answer
The experiment tests four different types of antibodies found in most humans: Anti-R, Anti-S, Anti-T, and Anti-U. These antibodies help determine the compatibility of the pig heart-muscle proteins with human biology.
Step 3
Explain the significance of the agar plate test setup
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Answer
The agar plate test setup allows for observation of reactions between the heart-muscle protein extracts and the different antibodies. If an antibody binds to a protein, it indicates a potential reaction which is crucial for determining if the protein could be compatible for human organ donation.
