Plant Molecular Farming: Harvesting Green Bioreactors in the quest for affordable therapeutics against Diabetes

Abstract

Plant molecular farming representing an innovative and cost-effective platform, offers a cheaper and highly adaptive strategy for manufacturing biologics in plant systems. Genetically engineered plant systems as bioreactors serve as a new generation biopharmaceutical source considering its advantages. The essence of this technology is a successful genetic transformation in plant either through stable gene transfer (nuclei and chloroplast) or through viral vectors. Despite its potential, several biosafety issues entail concerns like transgene diffusion, recombinant protein toxin accumulation and ethical considerations like contamination of food chain accompany its deployment and generate the need for investigative production of biologics. This review explores the methodology, applications and challenges that come with the production of recombinant protein using plant source for the disease that poses as a global implication on the wellbeing of individuals, namely diabetes.