Oxygen is the most important element for human being to survive. Due to the exploding world population, the world is gradually running short of resources on earth.
Aims for the project:
We aim to suggest a new idea that people can live on oxygen which is created though their body. In order to handle with an issue of insufficient oxygen on earth, we hope our project to introduce an innovative way that human being can survive under harsh environment in distant future.
Where and how can the project lead to innovation?
During research, we found other species which can photosynthesize.
One of them, spotted salamander, in order to be partially photosynthetic, maintains a symbiotic relationship with algae cells. While it has long been known that a relationship existed between the salamander and the algae, it was presumed to be a relationship in which both organisms worked separately.
However, when researcher Ryan Kerney was studying a batch of spotted salamander embryos, he found a bright green color coming from inside their cells.
The chloroplasts were found near the mitochondria within the salamander’s cells,meaning that the mitochondria were likely directly consuming the oxygen and carbohydrates that are created through photosynthesis.
Can we apply this symbiotic relationship into human body system?
As it is known, all vertebrates have strong immune systems that tend to destroy any foreign material found within their cells. However, in the case of salamander, its cells either turn their internal immune system off, or the algae somehow bypasses it.
Although the reason for this is unknown, this makes the spotted salamander the first vertebrates to be discovered to have the ability to photosynthesize.
If it is the first vertebrate to photosynthesize, why not human beings?
Can we suggest a new way to survive under a condition with deficient oxygen?
Is it possible to create oxygen by ourselves?
An Slug species passed so many eves feeding on algae, that it finally incorporated chloroplasts or algae cell into its skin, being able to thrive on sunlight.
A type of Jellyfish is an invasive animal, having also a photosynthetic adaptation in its outer layers, is able to live in fresh water, has an eye identical in shape and functioning to human eye, but lacks a Central Nervous System, its functions being done by a network of neurons with no central command such as a brain or a cerebral ganglion.
For humans, the possibility of obtaining energy, ATP, directly from sunlight sounds boring: what would we do, if just by going out sometime every day, our aliment needs are fulfilled?
Besides this, as we lost in the evolutionary path from the creation of first living cells, the synthetic pathways for many essential amino-acids, vitamins, and we will need minerals, our fate would be as best that of 'carnivore plants', that need flesh to obtain nitrogen and other elements.
My first goal in big size genetic engineering would be reactivating the Ascorbic acid 'synthesis cassette', that is present in our liver but silenced, and, even more difficult, recover all the retinal color sensitive elements, cones and rods, that we lost when our mammal ancestors were forced to night life by Dinosaurs. Lizards, birds, butterflies, see colors we don't see.
Growing Ivory tusks from specialized cells culture, in a petri dish, is a goal with an assured customers line
Interesting project. The following are evidence for what you mentioned. Good Luck!!
A solar salamander.
Photosynthetic algae have been found inside the cells of a vertebrate for the first time.
(http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100730/full/news.2010.384.html)
The breathable air we enjoy today originated from tiny organisms, although the details remain lost in geologic time
(https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/origin-of-oxygen-in-atmosphere/)
Symbiotic algae provide photosynthetic products
Spotted salamander
(https://asknature.org/strategy/symbiotic-algae-provide-photosynthetic-products/#.WJn-a_l96Cg)
Fabrication of living soft matter by symbiotic growth of unicellular microorganisms
(http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2016/TB/C5TB02489G)
The following also one alternative for your project started in China.
China’s first vertical forest is rising in Nanjing.
(http://inhabitat.com/chinas-first-vertical-forest-is-rising-in-nanjing/)
Seems they produce around 60 Kgs Oxygen per day
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