Liver xenotransplantation: a path to clinical reality

Abstract

Liver xenotransplantation has emerged as a potential solution to the shortage of deceased human donor organs and is now becoming a reality due to recent developments in genetic engineering and immunosuppressive therapy. Early efforts using non-human primates and genetically modified pigs faced significant challenges such as thrombocytopenia and graft rejection. Understanding the mechanism behind those challenges and using novel genetically engineered pigs enabled researchers to overcome some of the hurdles, but more research is needed. However, new advances might allow pig liver xenotransplantation to potentially serve as a bridge to liver allotransplantation or allow native liver regeneration in the near future.