Study Explains How the Human Body Responds to Pig Kidney Transplants
New Delhi: A team of scientists from France and the United States has taken an important step toward understanding how the human body reacts to pig kidney transplants. Their research may help in developing new ways to deal with the global shortage of human organ donors.
The study focused on how the immune system responds when a pig kidney is placed into a human body. This process, called animal-to-human organ transplant, is being tested as a possible solution for patients who are waiting for kidney transplants but cannot find a matching human donor.
Led by Dr. Valentin Goutaudier from the Paris Institute for Transplantation and Organ Regeneration and the NYU Langone Transplant Institute, the team observed what happens inside the body after the transplant. Their findings were presented at the ESOT Congress 2025 in London.
The scientists found that human immune cells were quickly moving into all parts of the pig kidney. The body started showing early signs of rejection as soon as Day 10 after the transplant, with the reaction becoming stronger around Day 33. The team continued to monitor these changes for up to 61 days.
By carefully tracking how and when the body begins to reject the pig kidney, the researchers were able to identify a time period where treatment could help prevent or slow down rejection.
Using advanced imaging and computer analysis, they were able to clearly separate human immune cells from the pig kidney’s own tissue. This allowed them to map how immune cells were entering and responding to the foreign organ. Two types of immune cells—macrophages and myeloid cells—were found to be the most active in this process.
When specific treatments were used during this time, the rejection response was weaker, suggesting that early medical intervention could be key.
The researchers say the next step is to improve these treatments, make further changes to donor pig organs, and create better ways to detect early signs of rejection. These advances may help make animal-to-human kidney transplants a safer and more realistic option in the future.
Kanchan Chaurasiya joined Medical Dialogues in 2025 as a Media and Marketing Intern. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Arts from Delhi University and has completed certifications in digital marketing. She has a strong interest in health news, content creation, hospital updates, and emerging trends. At Medical Dialogues, Kanchan manages social media and also creates web stories to enhance mobile content reach and audience engagement.