STORY SUMMARY
The numbers are staggering: approximately 100,000 people are on a waitlist for kidney transplants, but donor availability falls short. Researchers, though still in the experimental stage, are exploring the potential of animal organ transplants, specifically from pigs, to fill this gap. Marty Salt reports that with 37 million Americans suffering from chronic kidney disease and 600,000-800,000 experiencing kidney failure at any given time, the transplant numbers do not satisfy the demand, with only 25,000 transplants performed annually. Pioneering researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham are using CRISPR technology to modify pig genes, aiming to make pig kidneys compatible with human bodies by preventing organ rejection. Given that pigs have kidney functions similar to humans and can live up to 30 years, the hope is that pig organs will provide a long-term solution for human transplants, potentially offering multiple organs from a single pig to reduce the waitlist significantly. Marty Salt, WGMA News.
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Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham are making strides in addressing the severe shortage of kidney donors with xenotransplantation. Approximately 100,000 people currently await a kidney transplant, while only 25,000 receive a kidney each year. With around 37 million Americans suffering from chronic kidney disease and 600,000 to 800,000 experiencing kidney failure at any given time, the demand far exceeds the available donor supply.
Utilizing genetic editing technology called CRISPR, scientists are exploring the potential of using pig organs to bridge this gap. Pigs have kidney functions remarkably similar to humans, and by using CRISPR to edit out genes that would trigger human immune rejection, researchers hope to create viable transplant organs. This genetic trickery makes the immune system perceive the pig kidneys as human organs, thereby reducing the risk of rejection.
Considering that pigs can live for up to 30 years, the transplanted organs are expected to have a prolonged lifespan in humans. The future of xenotransplantation looks promising, with the potential to use pig organs not just for kidneys but also for hearts, lungs, livers, and even pancreases, potentially reducing the waitlist and saving more lives. This innovative approach aims to significantly diminish the disparity between the demand for and supply of transplantable organs.
