General
Why do genetic modifications need to occur before xenotransplantation?
TO avoid hyper-acute immune rejection and prevent the coagulation pathway leading to thrombosis.
What did Keith Reemtsma do?
Transplanted 13 chimpanzee kidneys into 13 human recipients. 12 failed. :(
What are the doctors monitoring throughout the entire procedure?
Blood vessels: Blood flow, blood clots, blood leaks, and compatibility.
What are PERVs?
A zoonotic infection that can be transmitted to humans from xenografts. They are retroviruses that are naturally found in the pig genome.
Baby Fae had which type of primate's heart transplanted into her?
A baboon's heart
Why do patients need to be under long-term monitoring after a xenotransplantation procedure?
Because the long-term viability and survival of the organ is unknown
What are 3 reasons why pigs are the most common donors in xenotransplantation?
Low cost, ethically acceptable, organ size
Before pigs, what type of animals' organs were used for xenografting?
NHP (Non-human primates)
The first experiment conducted by Harvard was to test what?
If animal organs could be compatible to a human body
What are 2 ethical concerns that surround xenotransplantation?
Animal welfare, human health, religion
In which century were the first experiments of xenotransplantation conducted?
17th century. (1600-1700)
The second surgical procedure was done on a brain-dead patient with a pig liver xenograft of what breed of pig?
Bama miniature pig
What are immunosuppressants? Give 2 examples.
Immunosuppressants are medications that weaken/reduce your immune system. Eg, mAB drugs, tacrolimus, and cyclosporine
During the 19th century, which type of xenotransplantation was introduced? (eg. liver, heart, kidney, skin, lungs..?)
Skin xenotransplantation
Before the Harvard Medical School experiment, exactly HOW MANY genetic modifications were done on the pig kidney?
69