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Scientists have genetically modified pigs to have immune systems that don’t reject transplanted stem cells.

“The rejection of transplants and grafts by host bodies is a huge hurdle for medical researchers,” says R. Michael Roberts, a professor of animal science and biochemistry at the University of Missouri. “By establishing that these pigs will support transplants without the fear of rejection, we can move stem cell therapy research forward at a quicker pace.”

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Randall Prather, a professor of reproductive physiology and director of the National Swine Resource and Research Center, specifically created the pigs with immune systems that allow the pigs to accept all transplants or grafts without rejection.

Once the scientists implanted the cells, the pigs did not reject the stem cells and the cells thrived. Prather says achieving this success with pigs is notable because pigs are much closer to humans than many other test animals.

Similar to humans

“Many medical researchers prefer conducting studies with pigs because they are more anatomically similar to humans than other animals, such as mice and rats,” Prather says.

“Physically, pigs are much closer to the size and scale of humans than other animals, and they respond to health threats similarly. This means that research in pigs is more likely to have results similar to those in humans for many different tests and treatments.”

“Now that we know that human stem cells can thrive in these pigs, a door has been opened for new and exciting research by scientists around the world,” says Roberts. “Hopefully this means that we are one step closer to therapies and treatments for a number of debilitating human diseases.”

Konkuk University in South Korea and the National Institutes of Health supported the study.

Source: University of Missouri