Pig liver used for the first time to filter human blood

The University of Pennsylvania announced last Thursday that a group of doctors connected a genetically modified pig liver for the first time to a patient who lost brain activity, causing the animal’s organ to filter the person’s blood for 72 hours without his body will reject it.

In recent years, numerous organ transplants from animals to humans (xenotransplants) have been performed successfully. It has been documented that kidneys from genetically modified pigs have been transplanted into brain-dead individuals. The genetic edits allowed the immune system of the recipients of these organs not to reject them.

According to Scientific American magazine, livers represent a challenge when transplanting them, since they carry out more complex functions than the heart or kidney. The liver from a pig, in addition to filtering blood, must produce thousands of biological compounds, including hormones and blood clotting proteins.

Demonstrating porcine liver functionality

In a new procedure, which took place last December, the functionality of a pig liver with 69 different genomic modifications was demonstrated. This organ was developed by the American company eGenesis, which was based on the discoveries obtained from a previous study where porcine kidneys were used.

The specialists indicated that on this occasion a different experimental method was chosen, known as extracorporeal perfusion, which consisted of connecting the bloodstream of the liver recipient through a system of tubes. During the procedure, the genetically modified animal’s organ managed to circulate the patient’s blood and produce bile, a substance that helps digestion.

Doctor Abraham Shaked indicated that the liver functioned within 72 hours without losing oxygen and without being attacked by human immune cells in the blood. The doctors mentioned that they are examining the blood and plasma samples obtained in the experiment, in order to evaluate the functions that the porcine liver can perform, as well as to observe if the immune system showed any molecular signal at the time of receiving the organ.

“The success of the first part of our study is important for those facing liver failure, as it offers a vision of a future in which innovative solutions can provide hope to patients who would otherwise be destined to die while waiting.” a transplant,” Shaked said. With RT

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