The success of the US Nyu Langone Health surgical team in carrying out the transplant pork kidney to humans into the spotlight of the world. However, this method of transplantation is not new. It is noted that this clinical research was started in 1906 and was the first xenotransplantation research conducted.
Pig itself has become the ‘favorite animal’ of scientists to conduct transplant research with the consideration of its characteristics that are relatively similar to humans.
The following is a full review of why pigs were chosen for kidney transplantation in humans, summarized from various sources.
1. The structure and function of the kidney are relatively the same
Studies report that the urinary tract system in pigs and humans is relatively the same. In addition, in terms of size, the human kidney has a length of approximately 12 cm, a width of approximately 6 cm and a thickness of approximately 3 cm. While the pork kidney has a length of approximately 11.8 cm, a width of approximately 5.64 cm, and a thickness of approximately 2.76 cm.
2. There are many genetic modifications available
Currently there are 9 genetic modifications in pigs. These efforts are made to avoid complications in the form of rejection reactions. For example, as the surgical team of Nyu Langone Health in the United States did by adding additional antibodies from the pig’s thymus gland to the patient’s body.
3. The transplant method is FDA approved
The FDA as the United States Food and Drug Administration approved the use of genetically modified pig organs for this type of transplant research.
4. Donor ‘unlimited’
Transplant challenge kidney Currently, there are limited donors, but the number of queues is increasing every year. With the ability of pigs to be easy to breed and high birth rates, they can become a very large source of donors in the future.
Watch Videos”This is the Process of Transplanting Pig Kidneys to Humans“
[Gambas:Video 20detik]
(up/up)
– .
