SCIENTISTS are to grow a human donor organ in an animal for the first time.

They hope to develop a pancreas inside a sheep.

2 The first step for scientists is to use gene editing technology to produce a live sheep without a pancreas

If successful it will give hope to thousands of patients awaiting organ transplants.

The experts have already created a sheep embryo containing human stem cells and used gene editing to produce a live sheep without a pancreas.

Prof Pablo Ross, of the University of California, told the American Association for the Advancement of Science: “What we expect is the human cells will be able to grow that organ.

“There is a huge shortage of organs and if this is successful we will have a source.” The first transplant could be in five years.

2 In just five years, one of these guys might be saving thousands of lives... Credit: Getty - Contributor

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There are 6,500 patients on the transplant waiting list, nearly 500 of whom die each year.

But London genetics expert Prof Robin Lovell-Badge fears the process will not work.

He said: “The organs could not be used for transplants into humans without triggering the immune system to reject them.”