Xenotransplantation and Its Potentials - Outlook on Ongoing Studies

Xenotransplantation & Its Applications

Long waiting lists for organ transplantation is a huge challenge for medical science. Two major fronts to address this problem are: Artificial organs and xenotransplantation. Both options have their pros and cons. The latter more than the former. Currently, the research and development expenditures are on the higher side for artificial organs. However, we cannot ignore the latest developments in the potential applications of xenotransplantation. 

While artificial organs are catering heavily to the problems associated with kidneys, heart, and pancreas, the ongoing studies on xenotransplantation cover a wide range of disease areas including but not limited to:

• Wound healing/burn care

• Bone related conditions

• Dental

• Adenocarcinoma

• Breast reconstruction

The only successful usage of other skin cells/tissue/organs in humans is fish skins used in the treatment of burn care.

Pig is the only preferred animal in xenotransplantation studies. Some of the ongoing studies indicate success rate for the pig to primate transplantation from 60 to 80 percent, of course with tonnes of challenges. In some of the experimental procedures, the receiver survived for a period ranging between a few days to a few weeks. A lot of research funds are being spent on gathering relevant data to be used in effective decision-making. 

Xenotransplantation Report Scope

The road is too long for the successful transplantation of other animal organs into humans. The future prospect of xenotransplantation includes:

• Genetic engineering of pigs to be more compatible with the human bodies. This will take a lot of time, but the recent advancement in genetic engineering gives a lot of hope in developing such ‘organ farms’ out of pig clones.

• Instead of using the entire organ from the animals, scientists are exploring the options of just cells of tissue from animals to repair/recover damaged/degenerative tissue parts in human organs.

• Xenotransplantation is looked upon as a temporary option to bridge the huge waiting period for other compatible human organs.