Indian Transplant Newsletter. Vol.4 Issue No.11. February 2002
Print ISSN 0972 - 1568

Xenotransplants

Indian Transplant Newsletter.
Vol.4 Issue No.11. February 2002
Print ISSN 0972 - 1568
Print PDF


“Single Knock out" Pigs Created

Pigs have long been consider the most viable le animal as potential sources of organs for humans given the ever going transplant WAITING LIST THE WORLD OVER. However the immune system rejection has been a huge barrier to xenoplansplantation and up till now, scientists had not been able to remove the gene in pigs the triggered rejection by the human immune system. The gene in question is the 1, 3 –galactosyltransferase (CGGTAI) gene which produces the sugar gal. Since this present in every cell of pig’s body any graft from pig would be quickly rejected by the human immune system. Two biotechnology companies the first PPL therapeutics, the Scottish company that Missouri at Columbia and immerge Bio therapeutics have succeeded in cloning pigs that lack a copy of GGTAI gene, in other word. ‘Single – knock out’ pigs. This can be of the GGTAI gene; however, the challenge now lies in breeding animals that lack both copies of the GGTAI gene Double Knockout pigs. This can be accomplished by further manipulating the genes inside cells or by matting some of the newborn single knockout animals, which cam give rise to double knockout offspring. This double knocking out is essential for non expression of gal in the pigs. In the next stage, organ from these ‘double knockout’ animals would be transplanted into non- human primates to see how long they survive and identify. According to David Cooper, MD, immediate past president of the international xenotransplant society. It would be atleast a year after that before a clinical trial could be considered. However, he put the potential of this development in these words, if we get a complete knockout pig, then it could be as big as the discovery of the cyclosporine in the 1980’s and open up transplantation on just as large a scale”. Along with these technical challenges to cross species transplant ethical issues and safety concerns particularly the transmission of potentially deadly viruses to human recipients will need to be addressed.


To cite : Shroff S, Navin S. Xenotransplants. Indian Transplant Newsletter. Vol.4 Issue No.11. February 2002.
Available at:
https://www.itnnews.co.in/indian-transplant-newsletter/issue11/Xenotransplants-950.htm

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