A new study has revealed that pig organs could one day possibly work for human transplants in the quest to help the hundreds of thousands of people who every year await organ transplants.
In a scientific first, researchers offer some hope that one day it would be possible to safely transplant livers, hearts, and other organs from pigs.
In a report published in the journal Science, scientists from Harvard University, the biotech company eGenesis and several other institutions were able to use gene editing and cloning to create virus-free piglets that could potentially be used in the future for human organ transplants.
In the new report, scientists detail how they took pig cells and edited them using the gene-editing technology CRISPR-Cas9 to target and hinder their virus-related DNA. They then cloned those edited cells and developed an embryo. Those embryos were implanted into sows and then became piglets.
Out of 37 piglets, all were born without retroviruses. Not all were brought to term, and some were killed so the scientists could check how their organs were developing, but today, 15 piglets are still alive and thriving. The pigs’ organs will be about the same size as humans’ once they reach their maximum size of about 150 pounds.
Scientists have studied the possibility of xenotransplantation, or putting organs from one species into another, for decades. Pigs have been a prime candidate as involuntary organ donors since theirs are about the same size as those of humans. But the issues are fairly obvious: Organs from another species can cause the human immune system to react violently. And pigs carry viruses known as porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) that can infect human cells.
But using the burgeoning gene-editing tool known as CRISPR, the researchers were able to modify pig embryos to delete those viruses.
In many cases, receiving an organ transplant requires waiting for a donor to die. Reaching the top of the waiting list for organ transplants in many countries across the word can take years, since only 0.3 percent of people die in a way that allows for their organs to be donated. But the American and Chinese research team believes transplantation from one species to another holds great promise.
Pig organs are similar to human organs in size and function, and can also be bred in large numbers. But at the same time, the prospect raises questions about animal exploitation and welfare.
Still, the new research merges two great achievements in recent years; gene editing and cloning. According to the New York Times, study author George Church, a geneticist at Harvard and founder of eGenesis said the first pig-to-human transplants could occur within just two years time. However, other researchers argue that it could be years before scientists even know if pig organ transplants are safe.
Pigs are intelligent creatures with social instincts and emotional depth. Humans are so closely related to them that their hearts can replace our own.
Researchers at Cambridge University found that pigs are as smart as three-year-old humans. They can play computer games and follow logical processes. They can learn sign language. They can recognise people they met years ago. As social creatures, pigs can be loyal friends. They develop trust and empathy like we do.
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