Scientists remove one hurdle to growing human organs in pigs
Researchers in the US, Denmark and China have successfully removed potentially-harmful genes from pigs, raising hopes that the animals' organs could be transplanted into humans.
What if pigs could not only provide you with your breakfast rashers, but also with an organ transplant to save your life in case of kidney failure?
In a paper published by the American journal Science, scientists working for the US-based biotech company eGenesis say they have produced gene-edited pigs that would potentially be safer to use for harvesting organs.
Pigs are very close to humans including in size, raising the prospect of raising genetically-engineered pigs as donors for hearts, lungs and other organs. One risk hampering progress in this area has been the presence in pigs’ genome of porcine endogenous retroviruses – known under the apt acronym PERVs. The viruses could be harmful to humans, especially people under treatment to suppress their immune system so that they do not reject a transplanted organ.
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According to Science, the researchers managed to erase the virus codes from pigs DNA, inject it into eggs taken from the ovaries of a normal farm sow in China and grow viable embryos. Some 37 piglets born as a result of the experiment were found to be PERV-free.
Other scientists interviewed by Science acknowledged the achievement of the eGenesis team, but warned that many other issues remain to be solved before pigs’ organs can be transplanted into humans.
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What if pigs could not only provide you with your breakfast rashers, but also with an organ transplant to save your life in case of kidney failure?
In a paper published by the American journal Science, scientists working for the US-based biotech company eGenesis say they have produced gene-edited pigs that would potentially be safer to use for harvesting organs.
Pigs are very close to humans including in size, raising the prospect of raising genetically-engineered pigs as donors for hearts, lungs and other organs. One risk hampering progress in this area has been the presence in pigs’ genome of porcine endogenous retroviruses – known under the apt acronym PERVs. The viruses could be harmful to humans, especially people under treatment to suppress their immune system so that they do not reject a transplanted organ.
According to Science, the researchers managed to erase the virus codes from pigs DNA, inject it into eggs taken from the ovaries of a normal farm sow in China and grow viable embryos. Some 37 piglets born as a result of the experiment were found to be PERV-free.
Other scientists interviewed by Science acknowledged the achievement of the eGenesis team, but warned that many other issues remain to be solved before pigs’ organs can be transplanted into humans.
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