Monkey gets pig heart
June 27th, 2012 - 9:10 pm ICT by IANSLondon, June 27 (IANS) The heart of a genetically modified pig has been successfully transplanted into a monkey by scientists in South Korea, it was reported here.
It is the first time the country has claimed to have accomplished such an inter-species operation, Daily Mail reported.
Known as xenotransplantation, it is seen by some as a way to end the chronic shortage of human organs available for transplants.
Before the controversial procedure, conducted in Seoul, the cloned pig had its genes responsible for immune rejection removed.
The ultimate aim of such experimentation would be to put pig hearts and other swine organs into humans.
And the South Koreans believe this could become a commercially viable reality within five years, the newspaper added.
The first known transplant of a genetically engineered pig heart in a primate was performed in 1994.
But the possibility of animal-to-human operations has divided the medical ethics community.
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- Genetically engineered monkey could lead to Alzheimer's cure - Oct 31, 2010
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- Air India stops ferrying animals for labs - Sep 01, 2012
- Cause of fatal inflammation of the heart muscle found - Mar 30, 2011
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Tags: aim, chronic shortage, controversial procedure, daily mail, genes, human operations, human organs, immune rejection, june 27, medical ethics, monkey, pig heart, pig hearts, primate, scientists, seoul, south korea, south koreans, transplants, xenotransplantation