In 1978, the first LMO was produced at the commercial level by the creation of an Escherichia coli strain (a bacteria) producing the human protein insulin. In 1996, the first genetically modified seeds were planted in the United States for commercial use.
To date, the most broadly commercialized LMOs introduced into the environment are agricultural crops. According to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), the worldwide area cultivated with LM crops has been growing steadily since 1996, and in 2009, the cultivation of LM crops accounted for 134 million hectares (James, 2009). Soy, maize, cotton, and rapeseed that are resistant to herbicides and/or able to produce pesticidal proteins account for the majority of LM crops being currently commercialized (see LMO Registry in the Biosafety-Clearing House at
http://bch.cbd.int/database/lmo-registry).
In 2009, a goat that produces an anticoagulant drug for humans was the first LM animal to be approved for commercial production. Zebra fish containing fluorescent protein genes are another example of LM animals in the market. Moreover, a number of LM vaccines for humans and animals are being commercialized.
To date, there are no examples of commercialization of LMOs resulting from cell fusion.
