Us Bid To Grow Human Organs For Transplant Inside Pigs

[naomi24]

//Scientists in the United States are trying to grow human organs inside pigs. They have injected human stem cells into pig embryos to produce human-pig embryos known as chimeras. The embryos are part of research aimed at overcoming the worldwide shortage of transplant organs. The team from University of California, Davis says they should look and behave like normal pigs except that one organ will be composed of human cells. The human-pig chimeric embryos are being allowed to develop in the sows for 28 days before the pregnancies are terminated and the tissue removed for analysis.

But the work is controversial…...The main concern is that the human cells might migrate to the developing pig's brain and make it, in some way, more human.

Pablo Ross says this is unlikely but is a key reason why the research is proceeding with such caution: "We think there is very low potential for a human brain to grow, but this is something we will be investigating." //

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-36437428

What huge strides science is making but the idea that this procedure has the potential to affect a pig’s brain, making it more human, seems futuristic and rather bizarre – the stuff of science fiction. Is this ethical – and if you needed a transplant would accepting an organ from this source worry you?

[Old_Geezer]

I'm unsure it won't allow diseases to cross the species barrier. A"human" organ is going to be accepted by the pig for a long time, who can guarantee it doesn't give the ideal conditions for bugs to evolve to infect it too ?

[naomi24]

OG, good point. Or vice versa?

[wildwood]

In a layman's opinion... surely there have to be stem-cells to grow brain tissue? Even if brain tissue was to develop, wouldn't there have to be glands to produce hormones in order for the brain to function at all?

Personally, I feel that more R&D should be invested to prevent the present ailments.

[EDDIE51]

I wait with bated breath for the first 'pig grown' organ to be transplanted into a Muslim!

[Zacs-Master]

It wouldn't worry me as I'd probably be more worried about my prognosis given that the need of a transplant would be indicative of a fairly serious illness. I think I'd actually prefer a pig generated organ than one from a deceased human actually.