Taking organs of pigs to transplant for future people

A biotech company in the US has studied how to feed pig organs for human use and achieve some initial success.

Pig raising for human organ transplantation

According to Popular Science, researchers from Revivcor, a branch of the United Therapeutics company in Maryland, USA, are adjusting the biological mechanism in pigs to make them develop organs suitable for humans.

Pigs are the best choice for organ transplantation for humans.(Photo: Popular Science.)

Each year, about 8,000 people die while waiting for an organ transplant because the demand exceeds supply. In the past, doctors tried to put pig's heart and liver into a human body. However, these tests did not produce good results. The reason is that organ transplants from other species will trigger a strong response from the recipient's immune system . Even the most effective immunosuppressive drugs cannot completely prevent this reaction fish.

Four years ago, United Therapeutics began investing in the field of pig organ transplant research . According to the company, pigs are the most appropriate candidate for transplantation because their organs are of the right size and easy to source.

In early 2000, a researcher, later co-founder of Revivcor, found a way to inhibit sugar in pigs capable of triggering an immediate rejection reaction in the recipient's body. In recent years, scientists at Revivcor are studying how to introduce human genes into pigs. Theoretically, this method is quite feasible because pigs have many functions similar to humans.

The research team has achieved certain achievements. In June, scientists recorded a pig kidney transplanted on baboons that could be maintained for 136 days. According to an implant doctor at the American Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, a Revivcor pig heart has set a new record when two and a half years exist in baboons.

Lungs, the next test unit, is an organ that is difficult to transplant because it contains many blood vessels and is highly affected by the immune system. However, Revivcor hopes to successfully implement a lung transplant from pigs to the first in the next few years.