Pigs could grow human organs in stem cell - incredible!

Japanese researchers have hit on a stem cell breakthrough that they say could essentially solve the organ shortages problem.


Human organs could be grown inside pigs for use in transplant operations 
following pioneering research.

Scientists have found that by injecting stem cells into the embryo of one species, they can create animals that have organs belonging to another species.

The researchers injected stem cells from rats into the embryos of mice that had been genetically altered so they could not produce their own organs - and so creating mice that had rat organs.

The technique could eventually allow pigs to grow human organs from patient's stem cells for use as transplants, incredible right!

Someday, pigs could have human hearts, livers, or other organs

The method would help reduce the risk of the transplanted organ being rejected .

As it's the patient's own stem cells being used, the risk of the transplanted organ being rejected is minimised. It would also provide a plentiful supply of donor organs.

The scientists have already made pigs with human blood, using human blood stem cells. “We are now rather confident in generating functional human organs using this approach,” the lead researcher said.