Japanese scientists have achieved a significant milestone by producing three piglets through cloning from a genetically modified pig aimed at preventing organ rejection in human transplants. The piglets were born through a C-section and are part of an initiative led by PorMedTec Co., an establishment stemming from the Meiji University International Institute for Bio-Resource Research. The researchers plan to further test the safety of these pig organs by transplanting their kidneys into monkeys before potentially initiating human transplant operations starting this summer.
The ultimate objective of this groundbreaking research is to successfully transplant pig kidneys into humans to address the critical shortage of donated human organs, especially considering Japan's low rate of organ donation. To overcome the rejection issue typically seen with normal pig organs transplanted into humans, the genetically modified pig used in this study has undergone alterations in 10 specific genes by the U.S. biotechnology company eGenesis. This initiative is part of the field of xenotransplantation, focusing on the transplantation of animal organs into human recipients, a practice that has long been explored but hindered by the rejection problem.