Xenotransplantation Essay
Xenotransplantation
Xenotransplantation
Currently, there are 100,000 people living today because of successful human organ transplants. There are also more than 40,000 Americans waiting for human organs, one third will die before they can receive organs. (http://www.columbia.edu/cu/21stC/issue-1.2/Xeno.htm) Scientists are trying to create a new way of fixing this problem; this is what they call xenotransplantation. This is when instead of using human organs, animal organs are used. There are many pros and cons to this new idea including technical, social, and moral beliefs. (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/sr-sr/biotech/about-apropos/xeno-eng.php)
There are many technical challenges when it comes to xenotransplantation. The major technical challenge is rejection. When the new organ is put in place there is a high risk of the body rejecting the new organs and cells. After the transplant the immune system realizes the new cells aren’t the same as the rest. It starts to attack it to get rid of the cells. This can be fatal because it can go as far as the body attacking itself. Scientists have figured out that the patient can use immunosuppression so that the immune system will not respond to the new cells. The problem with this is that the body is does not fight against any other infectious diseases. This can be even more dangerous because it leaves the patient open to worse diseases, for example, cancer. (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/brgtherap/activit/fs-fi/xeno_fact-fait-eng.php) Xenosis is another factor in xenotransplantation. This is when there is infection from bacteria and viruses from the animal organs. Since xenotransplantation is new to humans, viruses that don’t bother animals can be lethal to humans. Since scientists don’t know what viruses could come from xenotransplantation, the worst-case scenario would be a new epidemic. Blood clotting is also a factor when trying to do xenotransplantation and in order for the organ to live, blood clotting cannot
Xenotransplantation
Currently, there are 100,000 people living today because of successful human organ transplants. There are also more than 40,000 Americans waiting for human organs, one third will die before they can receive organs. (http://www.columbia.edu/cu/21stC/issue-1.2/Xeno.htm) Scientists are trying to create a new way of fixing this problem; this is what they call xenotransplantation. This is when instead of using human organs, animal organs are used. There are many pros and cons to this new idea including technical, social, and moral beliefs. (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/sr-sr/biotech/about-apropos/xeno-eng.php)
There are many technical challenges when it comes to xenotransplantation. The major technical challenge is rejection. When the new organ is put in place there is a high risk of the body rejecting the new organs and cells. After the transplant the immune system realizes the new cells aren’t the same as the rest. It starts to attack it to get rid of the cells. This can be fatal because it can go as far as the body attacking itself. Scientists have figured out that the patient can use immunosuppression so that the immune system will not respond to the new cells. The problem with this is that the body is does not fight against any other infectious diseases. This can be even more dangerous because it leaves the patient open to worse diseases, for example, cancer. (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/brgtherap/activit/fs-fi/xeno_fact-fait-eng.php) Xenosis is another factor in xenotransplantation. This is when there is infection from bacteria and viruses from the animal organs. Since xenotransplantation is new to humans, viruses that don’t bother animals can be lethal to humans. Since scientists don’t know what viruses could come from xenotransplantation, the worst-case scenario would be a new epidemic. Blood clotting is also a factor when trying to do xenotransplantation and in order for the organ to live, blood clotting cannot