The University of Pennsylvania and other institutions in the United States have announced research results showing that when a genetically engineered pig's liver was connected to the body of a brain-dead patient and blood was circulated, the patient's condition remained stable for 72 hours.
In the United States, research has been underway for the past few years to see if pig organs can be transplanted, and attention has been focused on whether they can be used as a substitute for human organs.
This research was announced on the 18th by the University of Pennsylvania in the United States and the American biotechnology company EGenesis.
In the research, to reduce the chance of rejection, a genetically engineered pig's liver was placed in a special device, and blood was circulated through a tube connected to the brain-dead patient's body.
As a result, the patient's condition remained stable for 72 hours, and there were no signs of inflammation in the pig's liver.
In the United States, research has been underway for the past few years to see if genetically engineered pig organs could be transplanted into humans. In
2021, an attempt was made to transplant pig kidneys into brain-dead patients
. A year ago, a patient who had no hope of recovery with other treatments received a pig heart transplant and has survived for about two months.
Currently, more than 100,000 people in the United States are waiting for some kind of organ transplant, and attention is being paid to whether pig organs can replace human organs.