THE TELEGRAPH: The use of pig lungs in transplants into humans has moved a step closer with a medical breakthrough.
Scientists in Melbourne, Australia, used a ventilator and pump to keep the animal lungs alive and "breathing" while human blood flowed in them.
Experts estimated the work could lead to the first animal-human transplants within five years.
Dr Glenn Westall, who helped conduct the experiment, said: “The blood went into the lungs without oxygen and came out with oxygen, which is the exact function of the lungs.
"It showed that these lungs were working perfectly well and doing as we were expecting them to do.
“This is a significant advance compared to experiments that have been performed over the past 20 years."
The breakthrough came after scientists were able to remove a section of pig DNA, which had made the pig organs incompatible with human blood. Pig lungs in human transplants moves step closer >>> | Wednesday, February 03, 2010
