[DennisP]

Based on the article, they've got a long way to go. Something closer though is pig kidneys with genetic modifications to keep the human immune system from attacking them. That has already worked for a while in a brain-dead patient.

[robotnikman]

The body attacking donor organs in general is a huge obstacle that still needs to be overcome, as it requires the users of the organ to be on immunosupressants, and in general greatly lessens the lifespan of the organ.

If they can make pig organs be accepted by the body without compromising the immune system that's a big breakthrough right there.

[pkaye]

There is a different approach going on in the US right now to breed pigs with small genetic modifications to prevent hyperacute rejection and transplanting the pigs kidney with the pigs thymus embedded in the kidney. Its been tested on a brain dead patient who donated his body to science. There was no signs of rejection for 6 weeks and the kidney continued to remove waste and produce urine.

> The first hurdle to overcome in xenotransplants is preventing so-called hyperacute rejection, which typically occurs just minutes after an animal organ is connected to the human circulatory system. By “knocking out” the gene that encodes the biomolecule known as alpha-gal—which has been identified as responsible for a rapid antibody-mediated rejection of pig organs by humans—immediate rejection has been avoided in all five xenotransplants at NYU Langone. Additionally, the pig’s thymus gland, which is responsible for educating the immune system, was embedded underneath the outer layer of the kidney to stave off novel, delayed immune responses. The combination of modifications has been shown to prevent rejection of the organ while preserving kidney function.

https://nyulangone.org/news/pig-kidney-xenotransplantation-p...