Unit 3 DB Genetics (DNA, Mutations, Cell Division, Portein Synthesis)

Xenotransplantation

For this assignment , I chose the technology of transgenic transplantation or xenotransplantation . Every year , thousands of patients wait fruitlessly for an organ donation which can save their lives . Unfortunately , despite the efforts of many organizations to promote organ donations , there simply aren 't enough organ donors to satisfy the needs of thousands of patients across the world . What if instead of having to wait for an organ donor which will never come doctors and patients have an option of simply harvesting a much needed organ ? That is the promise of

xenotransplantation

In xenotransplantation transplantation , organs from a genetically modified organism is transplanted for use into an organism of another species . Most research in the field revolves around transplanting organs from pigs into humans because pigs are the same size as humans . Even if they are not so genetically similar , pig organs are roughly the same size with those in their human counterparts making them an ideal source for transgenic organ transplants . The benefits are apparent . With a steady stream of ready organs , human patients who need organ transplants will spend less time teetering on the edge inside hospital rooms

The main challenge for researchers is to create genetically similar pigs . The same immune responses which kill foreign cells inside the body will also kill and destroy any transplanted organ , more so with those from a pig . Researchers are working on creating pigs which wont create the genes which trigger the human immune response

With this kind of technology , some opposition has appeared . Some people may find the prospect of harvesting organs from pigs as unacceptable Moreover people of a certain belief system will also oppose xenotransplantation simply based on their faith as pigs are considered unclean ' animals in some religious cultures

Bibliography

Jeffery , S (January 3 , 2002 . Pig to Human Transplants . In The Guardian . Retrieved September 10 , 2008 from HYPERLINK "http /www .guardian .co .uk /world /2002 /jan /03 /qanda .simonjeffery http /www .guardian .co .uk /world /2002 /jan /03 /qanda .simonjeffery

Lippincott Williams Wilkins (2007 , July 23 . Pig To Human Transplantation Getting Closer . In ScienceDaily . Retrieved September 11 2008 , from http /www .sciencedaily .com /releases /2007 /07 /1 .htm...