Slide 1

Samantha Pell


Slide 2

What is it?
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The transplantation of cells, tissues or
organs from one species to another

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Three procedures make it up
 Animal external therapies (AETs)
 Animal cell therapies (ACTs)
 Animal organ transplants (AOTs)


Slide 3

Genetic Modification


Pig is most common animal used
 size



Pigs become genetically modified
 Human genes will be inserted into pigs
 Caused them to become transgenic
 Only a small amount will express the gene

needed
○ Others will be killed


Slide 4

Arguments in Favor





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



Could save many lives
No waiting around for suitable organs
 Few people willing to donate
 Such rare situations allow use of organs
Some Asian countries look at human to human organ
transplant as a taboo
Pigs for transplantation are bred and isolated in a controlled
environment
Gets rid of black market sales of organs
Puts an end to the ethical question “should donors be
compensated for use of their organs?”
Possibility of treating diseases
 diabetes


Slide 5

How will it treat diabetes?
Primary cause is the destruction of cells
(islets)
 Research offers the chance of replacing
dead islets with living ones
 Pig islets most preferred for transplant
 Will restore insulin production
 Will provide ideal control of blood sugar
at all times



Slide 6

Arguments Against
Led to a ban of research in many
European countries
 Animals would be sold rather than
donated
 Organ donations may stop altogether
 Transmission of diseases
 Greater risk of the spread of PERV
 Many animals will die
 Morality sacrifice



Slide 7

Rejection


Major obstacle
 Caused by immune system fighting back

against something foreign


Must be given drugs
(immunosuppresent)
 Will cause immune system to shut down

 Will prevent possibility of rejection
 Will leave patient more at risk for disease


Slide 8

Hyperacute Rejection
Tissue never becomes vascularized
 Preexisting host antibodies bind to
antigens in the graft endothelium
 Complement system activated
 Results in inflammation
 Graft suffers irreversible damage from
ischemia



Slide 9

Hyperacute Rejection


Healthy islets (center) surrounded
by non-insulin producing pancreatic
cells.



Hyperacute rejection in progress:
Islets (center) are being filtrated as
part of immune system attack.


Slide 10

Alternatives


The cause of organ failure and disease
must be minimized



Better education on human organ
donation
 Increases availability of organs
 Safer, cheaper, more humane


Slide 11

Picture Website Links
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http://biomed.brown.edu/Courses/BI108/
BI108_2004_Groups/Group04/Rejection
_overview.htm



http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/
clockingin/pig.jpg


Slide 12

Bibliography


Facts on Xenotransplantation. (1996, September 20). Retrieved May 5, 2009, from
http://www.stanford.edu/dept/HPS/transplant/html/fda.htm



Hyperacute Rejection. (n.d.). Transplant Rejection Therapy. Retrieved May 10, 2009, from
http://biomed.brown.edu/Courses/BI108/BI108_2004_Groups/Group04/Rejection_overview.htm



Lanza, R. P., & Cooper, D. K. (n.d.). Xenotransplantation. Scientific American, 277(1), 54.
Retrieved from Science Reference Center database.



Miller, G. W. (2005). The Xeno Chronicles. New York: Public Affairs.

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Nicholson, M. (2000, November). Into. Retrieved May 10, 2009, from
http://cseserv.engr.scu.edu/nquinn/ENGR019_299Fall2000/StudentWebSites/Nicholson/ResearchPaper.
htm



Tanne, J. H. (n.d.). Xenotransplantation: Huge Benefits, Hard Choices. Retrieved May 5, 2009,
from http://www.columbia.edu/cu/21stC/issue-1.2/Xeno.htm

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What is Xenotransplantation? (n.d.). Retrieved May 5, 2009, from
http://fbox.vt.edu/users/dhay/home.html



Van Eenennaam, A. L. (2008, March 13). Animal Biotechnology. Retrieved May
10, 2009, from http://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/animalbiotech/Biotechnology/Transgenics/Pig/index.htm



Xenotransplantation. (n.d.). Animals Today, 12(2), 31. Retrieved from Science Reference Center
Database.