Xenotransplantation

Article By:

Schuurman, Henk-Jan Immerge BioTherapeutics, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Greenstein, Julia L. Immerge BioTherapeutics, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Last reviewed:2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.YB040465

Transplantation of solid organs or tissues has become a well-accepted clinical practice in the treatment of patients with end-stage organ failure. In particular, after the introduction of effective immunosuppressive drugs, prevention and treatment of rejection has become manageable and long-term survival has been achieved. However, due to this success there is an ever-increasing demand for donor organs, and the number of patients on the waiting list for an organ transplant far exceeds the number of available organs. In the search for alternative sources, organs from animals have been proposed. Xenotransplantation is defined as any procedure that involves the transplantation, implantation, or infusion into a human recipient of either (1) live cells, tissues, or organs from a nonhuman animal source or (2) human body fluids, cells, tissues, or organs that have had ex-vivo contact with live nonhuman animal cells, tissues, or organs. This article discusses the transplantation of cells, tissues, or organs.

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