Xenotransplantation: What determines what animals can participate?

Submitted by Sataalee t3_zkxd6s in askscience

Hello. :)

I’ve come across the concept of using pig hearts for transplants, but not many other animals in general.

This got me wondering: What is the scientific reasoning was for choosing pigs as opposed to a different animal like a cow, or some other?

I wasn’t sure whether the flair would fall under human body or biology. :)

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niconiconicnic0 t1_j02xjwx wrote

Mainly organ size, but also what kind of antibodies the animal have and if they’re compatible with human immune systems - it has been said the history of transplantation is the history of immune suppression; tackling rejection is the holy grail of transplant medicine and the reason for using these “gal-safe” pigs, which are bred to not have a sugar on the organ cell humans react to.

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Sataalee OP t1_j05erft wrote

This is actually pretty interesting! Medicine and Biology aren’t in any way connected with my field, so learning that the sugars on the cells is what causes people to react is fascinating. Thank you!

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CrateDane t1_j03ms3l wrote

Also some potential alternatives, like chimpanzees, are ruled out for ethical and practical reasons.

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itsrobinsharma t1_j03pe9l wrote

Pig hearts have been considered as a potential source of transplant organs for humans for several reasons. One of the main reasons is that the size and structure of a pig's heart is similar to that of a human heart. This makes it easier to transplant a pig heart into a human without requiring significant changes to the recipient's blood vessels and other tissues.

In addition, pigs are widely available and can be easily raised in large numbers, making them a convenient source of transplant organs. They are also relatively similar to humans genetically, which reduces the risk of transplant rejection.

While it is possible to transplant organs from other animals, such as cows, into humans, the success rates for these types of transplants are generally lower due to the differences in size and structure between the donor and recipient organs. Additionally, transplanting organs from other animals can carry a higher risk of rejection and other complications. These factors make pigs a more attractive option for organ transplantation.

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Sataalee OP t1_j05f2u8 wrote

The fact that they’re widely available makes a lot of sense. Appreciate the response!

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ScarilyPlausible_92 t1_j05a7i0 wrote

The size and anatomy of the pig heart is roughly the same as human, though there are considerable differences (see below). Pigs can be bred intensively, with large litters, meaning the number of available organs could be increased rapidly.

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