> "The ability to modify specific elements of an organism's genes has 
been essential to advance our understanding of biology, including human 
health," said Jennifer Doudna, UC Berkeley. "However, the techniques for 
making these modifications in animals and humans have been a huge 
bottleneck in both research and the development of human therapeutics.

I have not really been following this very closely at all, and don't 
understand some basic things about it.  Please correct me if I am wrong 
in my understanding, but so far, I have just encountered general 
statements that leave me with questions.

As I understand it, genes determine the development of the individual 
from a single cell.  They are present in  that cell and also in all the 
cells of the resulting organism.

In these gene modification treatments, what genes are being modified?  
The genes in some cells, or all cells?  If only some cells, how are the 
treatments targeted?  Are these alterations permanent?  Or do they only 
last as long as the cell lives

Is there an easy to read primer on this topic?

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