Sky News
It may not be obvious at first glance, but pigs and humans have some striking similarities. Their organs have a lot in common with ours. Researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston are excited to announce that they’ve successfully grown and transplanted a new pig lung. It’s a big step towards lung replacements in humans.
Using The Pig’s Own Cells
The breakthrough accomplishment was recently reported in the Science Translational Medicine. Scientists whipped up a new lung by growing lung tissue cells from the pig recipient’s own tissue.
Missioulian
Using the pig’s cells cuts down the risk of the new lung being rejected. The immune system recognized the cells as their own and accepted them without a problem. The lung wasn’t just accepted by the pig’s body, it began to thrive.
Growing And Thriving
The primary risk with transplants is that the organ will be rejected. Once this hurdle is overcome, the patient isn’t quite in the clear. The lung alveolar tissue and blood vessels still need to develop and fuse with the body. The new pig lung developed a critical bacterial population that helped stabilize the lung.
Kansas Farmer
It’s the first time that an animal of this size has received a lung transplant without rejection and remained stable. Scientists have attempted bioengineered lungs on smaller animals, but the blood vessels suffered from a buildup of fluid called edema.
One Small Steps For Pigs, One Giant Leap For Mankind
When someone needs a lung, they really need a lung. The problem is that they’re hard to come by. Donors aren’t exactly lining up to part with one of their lungs.
Mirror
According to Professor Joan Nichols, one of the study’s co-authors, “People wait for a long time on a transplant list before they can receive a donated lung.” Being able to cultivate new lungs for these patients using their own tissues could soon be an alternative solution.