Transplantation
of organs is the last available treatment option for the extremely serious
diseases. Every year millions of individuals die waiting for organ
transplantation. The extreme cost of treatment, productivity loss, and value of
life are some major causes.
Lower availability of donor organs:
The
tremendously heavy demand for supply of transplant organs in abundance and also
in effective conditions is scarce. No matter what the pressure applied to
create awareness to save a life by donating the parts immediately after death,
many patients die while waiting or become too sick
before the transplantation
could be effective.
The idea of
preservation of stem cells to serve as an immense help in future is getting
popular. However the generation of a highly modified complex organ from those
stem cells is still a dream yet to become reality.
Concept of xenotransplantation:
Xenotransplantation is the process of transplanting or implanting the
live cells or tissues or organs of a genetically related non-human source into
human bodies. Also human body fluids, tissues, cells or organs that once had ex
vivo contact with another human body is possible. Idea of xenotransplantation
is only to satisfy the exceeding need of graft supply. This treatment is
gaining prominence, by getting closer to reality.
Species preference:
Humans
being primate mammals, the definite choice of donors is expected to come from
other primate mammals like baboons’ chimpanzees and others. Their physiological
similarities give them a definite advantage. Despite of several risk factors
like the chance of a possible viral infection due to transplantation is common,
science has found out the way of genetically modifying organs from any source
before transplant. Viruses like HIV, originated in chimpanzees for instance.
Moreover the idea of breeding on a large scale is actually tedious.
However,
pigs, apart from the ease of being raised in a healthy environment, solve the
breeding issue too. Increased number of pigs are raised and bred for the food
industry. Hence, pigs are greatly on the testing phase to avoid organ rejection
when pig organs are transplanted in humans.
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