Health

Transplant Research Breakthrough: Pig Lungs In Humans By 2015

by amyellensoden | February 3, 2010 at 01:23 pm

587 views | 26 Recommendations | 4 comments

Pig lung transplants in humans could to take place as soon as 2015 after a breakthrough in transplant research. While studies in relation to transplanting pigs' lungs in humans ended two years ago, a new discovery by Australian scientists has enabled the research to resume. One of their recent experiments involving DNA sections offers a promising step towards the success of lung transplants between humans and (non-human) animals.

The breakthrough came after scientists were able to remove a section of pig DNA, which had made the pig organs incompatible with human blood.

Previous attempts to combine unmodified pig lungs and human blood ended abruptly two years ago when blood clots began forming almost immediately, causing the organs to become so blocked no blood could pass through.

The research has been carried out by scientists in Melbourne, Australia. One of their recent pigs' lungs to human transplant experiments was a success in that blood went into the lungs without oxygen and went out with oxygen. This exact process, essential to proper lung functionality, was the problem that had stumped researchers for so long.

The Australian scientists have found that by removing a section of the pig DNA, the oxygen from a pig becomes compatible with human blood. This section of DNA had previously rendered transplant experiments unsuccessful due to incompatibility issues. More information on this research and the experiment will be made available in the summer of 2010.

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Uwe Paschen

at 18:08 on February 3rd, 2010

Hum, well, we do already use their arteries and parts of their hearts.

I do not think this to be a good idea though.

Jessica Tucker

at 19:51 on February 3rd, 2010

Although the thought may be rather disturbing, it would be a great development for Lung Cancer patients...

Uwe Paschen

at 20:12 on February 3rd, 2010

I believe that we are on the wrong track here as a society relying on cure rather then fixing the causes.

Would we stop polluting and harming our self's with drugs and bad food or bad habits we would no longer need the cures, at least in the large majority of cases.

We have to change course and reconnect with nature and the reality that we are an integrate part of it. Save and protect our environment in order to save and protect our self's may be a much better approach and one with long term benefits for all living creature on earth.

Barbara McPherson

at 10:00 on February 4th, 2010

GMO pigs in Britain have been used for replacement parts. The scientists/physicians try to enforce the rules that those receiving the GMO parts do not have children and will report all sexual encounters in order to prevent the uncontrolled spread of the pig viruses. Organisms, pigs included, carry inert viruses in their genetic makeup. There is concern by some, myself included, that these pig viruses may become active within the humans. This past year we have seen the result of a pig virus crossing over to humans.