Scientists have successfully conducted an experiment in which a monkey was implanted with a pig kidney. This experiment was part of a research study aimed at making significant advancements in organ transplantation across species.
The research was conducted by the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China, and its goal was to explore cross-species organ transplants.
Reports indicate that the pig kidney transplanted into the monkey underwent genetic modification. The monkey’s original kidneys were functioning correctly, but for the research, both kidneys were removed, and a pig kidney was transplanted in May 2024. The monkey survived for nearly 184 days after the transplant.
The modified pig kidney functioned normally for five months, but complications arose when the immune system began to reject the new organ.
The reports also mentioned that this is similar to human organ transplants, where the recipient must take medications for the rest of their life to suppress their immune system and prevent rejection of the donated organ.
