Xenotransplantation

In News 

According to Scientists , Genetically modified pig hearts took longer than usual to beat for human receivers.

• They have to figure out what that means and how this would affect the xenotransplant after many months and years.

About Xenotransplantation

Image Courtesy:FDA

• Xenotransplantation is any procedure that involves the transplantation, implantation or infusion into a human recipient of either 
  • live cells, tissues, or organs from a nonhuman animal source, or 
  • human body fluids, cells, tissues or organs that have had ex vivo contact with live nonhuman animal cells, tissues or organs. 
• The development of xenotransplantation is, in part, driven by the fact that the demand for human organs for clinical transplantation far exceeds the supply. 
• Benefits : Recent evidence has suggested that transplantation of cells and tissues may be therapeutic for certain diseases such as neurodegenerative disorders and diabetes, where, again, human materials are not usually available. 
• Issues :  the use of xenotransplantation raises concerns regarding the potential infection of recipients with both recognized and unrecognised infectious agents and the possible subsequent transmission to their close contacts and into the general human population.Moreover, new infectious agents may not be readily identifiable with current techniques.

Source:DTE