Recipients of gene-edited pig kidneys successfully receive human organs
Two patients who previously received genetically engineered pig kidneys have successfully undergone subsequent human-to-human kidney transplants. This milestone confirms that xenotransplantation does not necessarily prevent future human organ transplants, offering hope for addressing the organ shortage crisis.
Why it matters
This research is a significant step forward in the field of xenotransplantation, potentially validating it as a bridge to human organ availability.
Surgeons at NYU Langone Health prepare to transplant a pig’s kidney into a human body in 2023. Shelby Lum/AP By Eric Boodman
Eric Boodman focuses on narrative features, exploring the startling ways that science and medicine affect people’s lives. You can reach Eric on Signal at eboodman.88.
When doctors think about sticking an organ from another animal into a person, one of their many questions is about what might happen after they take that organ out. Would the patient produce antibodies that would complicate a human-to-human transplant later on?
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