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Xenotransplantation

  • 08 Nov 2022
  • 2 min read

Why in News?

Genetically modified pig heart took longer than usual to beat for human receiver in the first-ever transplant of the gene-edited pig heart to human. The human recipient lived only for 61 days after the transplant.

  • Prior attempts at such transplants have also failed.

What is Xenotransplantation?

  • About:
    • Xenotransplantation involves the transplantation of nonhuman tissues or organs into human recipients.
      • In the recent heart transplant from pig to human, gene-editing was adopted to remove a sugar in its cells that’s responsible for that hyper-fast organ rejection.
    • One of the biggest obstacles to transplantation is organ rejection.
  • Significance:
    • This development could bring us one step closer to solving the global organ shortage.
      • In India, patients need 25,000-30,000 liver transplants annually. But only about 1,500 end up receiving them.
    • Pigs are increasingly becoming popular candidates for organ transplantation.
      • Pigs offer advantages over primates for organ procurements, because they are easier to raise and achieve adult human size in six months.
        • The pig’s anatomical and physiological parameters are similar to that of humans, and the breeding of pigs in farms is widespread and cost-effective.

Source: DTE

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