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In an experiment at NYU, a transplanted kidney from a genetically modified pig functioned normally for 3 days, without triggering immediate rejection. The recipient had been declared dead by neurologic criteria, but with the family’s consent, was maintained on life support for the duration of the experiment.
U.S. surgeons successfully test pig kidney transplant in human patient
It’s been postulated for some time that xenotransplantation (use of non-human animal organs) could possibly maintain a patient until a human organ was available. Pigs are good donor candidates, since their organs are very similar in size and anatomy to our own. The big problem is that the organs of non-primate mammals express a carbohydrate—galactose alpha 1,3 galactose (AKA, alpha-gal) on their cell membranes. Which triggers an intense immediate rejection response in an xenotransplant recipient. The donor animal came from a herd of pigs genetically modified to lack the alpha-gal antigen. That’s why no evidence of hyperactive rejection after 3 days is very significant. (Longer term rejection remains an issue.)
I know this experiment seems creepy. But assuming the recipient’s family gave fully informed consent, valuable and potentially life-saving information was obtained. Though I don’t know if the pig gave consent.
U.S. surgeons successfully test pig kidney transplant in human patient
It’s been postulated for some time that xenotransplantation (use of non-human animal organs) could possibly maintain a patient until a human organ was available. Pigs are good donor candidates, since their organs are very similar in size and anatomy to our own. The big problem is that the organs of non-primate mammals express a carbohydrate—galactose alpha 1,3 galactose (AKA, alpha-gal) on their cell membranes. Which triggers an intense immediate rejection response in an xenotransplant recipient. The donor animal came from a herd of pigs genetically modified to lack the alpha-gal antigen. That’s why no evidence of hyperactive rejection after 3 days is very significant. (Longer term rejection remains an issue.)
I know this experiment seems creepy. But assuming the recipient’s family gave fully informed consent, valuable and potentially life-saving information was obtained. Though I don’t know if the pig gave consent.
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