Animals able perform photosynthesis?


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Animal Photosynthesis Theory

Main Idea:

I believe that it's possible for organisms other than plants to utilize chloroplasts and perform photosynthesis. If you're imagining a man going outside during the day and basking in golden sun rays then you're somewhat misinterpreting my theory. Cells grow and repair with the support of nutrients that are absorbed after food is digested. Plants do this using their chloroplasts and take part in photosynthesis. During photosynthesis plant cells trap light rays and then perform a process that allows them to be used for growth and repair, like what animals do with food. Think... what if animals could perform photosynthesis? Our metabolism would greatly increase in efficiency and it would be a second means to energize our cells. We can do this with cholorplast

Methods of combination (of chloroplasts and animal cells):

I originally thought of injecting chloroplast or manipulating the cell to somehow absorb it after the cell's development but the faults in that quickly became visible. A more feasible method is attempting to create a microbial endosymbiotic relationship between the cell and the chloroplast. That is allowing the chloroplasts to live within or merge with a cell before it's full development, preferably stem cells as they are unspecialized and can represent many if not all cells. I also previously believed that the chloroplasts could be gained through extraction but later deducted that the production of synthetic chloroplasts would be necessary or at least significantly superior to directly extracted chloroplasts.

Testing and experimentation:

As in most cases, testing would initially be done on animals other than humans such as rats or primates. This type of animal testing would be somewhat different than the cruel, stereotypical type that people think of when they hear the term. It would be done on stem cells extracted from embryos or bone marrow(for less controversy) and possibly direct manipulation of the zygot for modification of the cells within the embryo. The individual cells that have had chloroplasts implemented will go through tests under sunlight along side unmodified cells with the same independent variables such as the environment, amount of exposure, and containment. If the modified cells develop at a higher rate than the normal cells and survive for the same amount of time(or greater) then it is a possible success. Once the cell begins mitosis and forms tissue it will be tested again to see if the cells still undergo photosynthesis and again to organs which isn't needed as the primary use would be improved replacement cells and not full organs. These trials will be performed multiple times with different animals(eventually humans) and with different variables until success is confirmed and cells can be implement into humans.

Some of the content was simplified in order to allow a greater amount of people to understand but feel free to research some of the terms. I also know that this has probably been thought of before but these are my thoughts alone.

Share your thoughts,

Otas

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Sounds allot like what Monsanto is trying to do.

I looked it up and I don't see them doing anything that adds anything too deep like cell structure but they are trying to use plants on animals; things like growth hormones, vitamins, ect.

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A green sea slug appears to be part animal, part plant. It's the first critter discovered to produce the plant pigment chlorophyll.

The sneaky slugs seem to have stolen the genes that enable this skill from algae that they've eaten. With their contraband genes, the slugs can carry out photosynthesis ? the process plants use to convert sunlight into energy.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34824610/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/sea-slug-surprise-its-half-plant-half-animal/#.TnApMYLnhdw

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Thanks, that's very interesting.

Also, that's not exactly what I'm talking about. That's under the desire for a animal cross plant hybrid, I'm talking about an extreme improvement in cell therapy. So for example, your white blood cells are reproducing at a very slow rate or can't do it quickly enough to terminate a virus... you would take the modified cells and they'd reproduce more rapidly and efficiently in order to fulfill the task.

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It wouldn't affect the caloric needs of your body from ingested food?

If that were the case it wouldn't be a very important factor considering that the life processes would increase in rapidity. That means that a significantly higher metabolism is an effect and you'll be able to process it more quickly. Besides, the choice is yours to push yourself overweight; it's not very different from today's obesity.

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It wouldn't affect the caloric needs of your body from ingested food?

It would make people get fat, but most animals simply won't eat if they aren't hungry (that or they eat a lot and then don't eat for ages)

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