Pig organs have long been eyed as transplant options for humans, as the organs are about the same size and pigs are plentiful, but it's been challenging to overcome the human immune system's possible rejection of such organs.
Now, in what one medical expert tells the New York Times could be a "real game changer," researchers from eGenesis, a spinoff of Harvard University, have scrubbed dozens of viruses from pig DNA to create genetically modified piglets that may one day serve as organ donors for humans.
The BBC reports on the study in the journal Science, noting this "exciting and promising first step" toward xenotransplantation, in which organs are transplanted between different species. "We know we have an audacious vision of a world with no shortage of organs … but that is also our motivation," says study co-author Luhan Yang.
Read the full story on Newser.com
- They Ate Their Friend. Then They Made Art
- After 106 Years in Antarctica, Fruitcake Still Looks 'Like New'
- What to Expect From This Weekend's Perseid Meteor Shower
Photo: Getty Images