CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores how pigs could help address the human organ shortage through xenotransplantation. Learn how both a pig’s similarities and differences make their organs a good match for humans.

Some scientists are investigating the use of pigs as a potential solution to the shortage of human organs available for transplantation. This process, known as xenotransplantation, involves transplanting animal organs into humans. Pigs are considered suitable for this purpose due to their anatomical similarities with humans, with the size of organs from a 150-pound pig closely matching that of humans.

Pig heart valves have already been used in humans for several decades. In addition to size compatibility, pigs offer practical advantages, such as their ability to produce large litters, which enables rapid scaling of organ supply. It takes pigs 6 to 12 months to reach a size suitable for donation, whereas primates may require up to 20 years to mature.

Pigs are also evolutionarily more distant from humans than primates, which decreases the risk of cross-species viral transmission. Most viruses that infect pigs do not infect humans. Raising pigs indoors in controlled, pathogen-free environments further reduces potential health risks. However, pig organs require genetic modification to improve compatibility and reduce the risk of rejection by the human immune system.

While xenotransplantation may not fully resolve the organ shortage, researchers believe it could save lives and serve as a valuable step toward more comprehensive solutions.



Pigs may be solution to organ shortage

Some scientists think this animal could be the solution to our organ shortage crisis. It's called xenotransplantation, using animal organs in humans. But why pigs and not other animals? Let's start with size. Pigs are anatomically similar to us. So an organ from a 150-pound pig is actually a pretty good size for the human body. In fact, we've already been using pig heart valves in humans for decades. Then there's scale. Pigs are born in large litters. So you can get 10 to 12 animals growing to human-compatible size within 6 to 12 months. A primate, on the other hand, could take 20 years to grow to the right size. And like us, usually only have one offspring at a time. Now, evolutionarily, pigs are farther away from us than primates. That's actually a good thing. That's because almost all the viruses that infect pigs don't infect humans, reducing the potential spread of disease. Pigs can also be raised indoors, which allows donor pigs to live in pathogen-free environments, further limiting the spread of disease. But pigs aren't a perfect fit. Scientists actually have to edit them to be more genetically compatible. This lowers the chance the organ will be rejected by the human body. Xenotransplantation alone may not solve the organ shortage crisis, but it could save lives and even be an important scientific bridge to a bigger solution.

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