Did you know that we can grow and transplant living cells, tissues, or organs from one species (usually animals) to another species (typically humans) to replace or repair damaged or dysfunctional organs? But how does it work? And what is it called?
The process of growing living cells, tissues, or organs from one species (usually animals) to another species (typically humans) to replace or repair damaged or dysfunctional organs is called Xenografting. The biomedical technique that involves transplanting the tissues, cells, or organs from one species (the donor species) into another species (the recipient species) is called xenotransplantation. (remember the keywords here are Growing vs. Transplanting or moving) The primary goal of xenotransplantation is to address the shortage of human organs available for transplantation, such as hearts, kidneys, livers, and pancreas.
Xenografting is a biomedical technique involving transplanting tissues, cells, or organs from one species (the donor species) into another (the recipient species). The term “xenograft” refers to the tissue or organ transplanted between different species. Xenografting is primarily used in research settings to study the biology of tissues or test the effects of potential therapies. Still, it can also have applications in the field of transplantation.
Here’s an overview of the process of xenografting:
- Donor and Recipient Selection: In xenografting, researchers typically choose a donor species with tissues or organs that are of interest for study or potential transplantation. Common donor species include pigs, due to their anatomical and physiological similarities to humans and other animals like mice or rats.
- Tissue or Organ Preparation: Tissues or organs from the donor species are collected and prepared for transplantation. This may involve processing the tissues to remove any cells or components that could trigger an immune response in the recipient.
- Transplantation: The prepared tissues or organs from the donor species are surgically implanted or introduced into the recipient species. For example, researchers might implant pig pancreatic cells into a mouse to study diabetes treatments.
- Monitoring and Study: Researchers monitor the xenografted tissues or organs in the recipient species after transplantation. They may study how the xenograft functions, interacts with the recipient’s immune system and responds to treatments or experimental interventions.
- Analysis: Data and insights from xenografting experiments can help researchers better understand the biology of the tissues or organs being studied. This information can be used for scientific research, drug testing, or developing potential therapies.
It’s important to note that xenografting raises ethical and safety concerns, particularly when considering the transplantation of organs from animals into humans. The risk of transmission of zoonotic diseases (diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans) and the potential for immune rejection are significant challenges in the field of xenotransplantation, which is a specialized form of xenografting focused on organ transplantation.
Xenografting plays a crucial role in advancing our understanding of biology and medicine, but it is subject to strict regulations and ethical considerations, especially when human applications are involved. Researchers continuously work to improve the safety and feasibility of xenografting techniques.
Something to think about is an ethical concern that comes to mind: at what point of these mutations is a pig still considered a pig and not human if most of its organs are human? (Just my opinion, let me know what you think)
reference https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2811%2961091-X/fulltext