Xenotransplantation

Xenotransplantation is the process of transplantation of an animal organ into a human body.

About Xenotransplantation

According to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Xenotransplantation is any process that involves transplanting, implanting, or infusing the following things into a human body:

1. Live cells, tissues, or organs from an animal source
2. Human body fluids, cells, tissues, or organs that had ex vivo (outside of the living body) contact with live animal cells, tissues, or organs.

Need for Xenotransplantation

There is an increasing demand for human organs for transplantation, but they are limited in supply and not readily available. Animal organs can be used instead of human organs. Cells and tissues of animals can also be used for therapeutic purposes for diseases like neurodegenerative disorders and diabetes, where human materials are not usually available.

Concerns associated with Xenotransplantation

• There is a possibility of infection of recipients with infectious agents. This endangers the life of the recipient. The infection may spread to other humans and threaten them.
• Cross-species infection by retroviruses is another public health concern. This is because the virus may be in latent form for several years and cause disease at a later stage.
• Also, some infectious agents may be unknown, so it is difficult to identify them with current technology. Finding a cure for such infectious diseases will also become difficult.

Recent xenotransplantation case

In January 2022, U.S. doctors transplanted a genetically-modified pig heart into a 57-year-old man, who was suffering from terminal heart disease. The transplanted heart did not show any signs of rejection and functioned well for some weeks. However, he died on March 8^th, 2022.

Month: Current Affairs - March, 2022

Category: Science & Technology Current Affairs