International Journal of Clinical Case Reports 2024, Vol.14, No.2, 94-106 http://medscipublisher.com/index.php/ijccr 96 2 Pigs as Organ Donors 2.1 Rationale for using pigs in xenotransplantation Pigs have emerged as the most suitable donor species for xenotransplantation due to several compelling reasons. Their organs are similar in size and physiology to human organs, making them an ideal match for transplantation needs. Additionally, pigs have a relatively short gestation period and large litters, allowing for the efficient production of donor animals. The ability to raise pigs in specific pathogen-free environments further minimizes the risk of zoonotic diseases (Hryhorowicz et al., 2017; Wolf et al., 2019). Importantly, advances in genetic engineering have made it possible to modify pigs genetically to reduce immunogenicity and enhance compatibility with human recipients (Ekser et al., 2009) (Figure 1). Figure 1 Changes in gene expression in 2D cultured porcine kidney organoids (Adopted from Li et al., 2018) Image caption: (A) Expression of special markers in different periods. The specific markers for PS cells (MIXL1), IM cells (PAX2), MM cells (SIX2 and PAX2), and UE cells (SIX2 and PAX2) were discovered in the corresponding porcine kidney organoids on days 3, 7, and 14 of 2D culture by immunofluorescence test (MIXL1, PAX2, and SIX2 were all localized to the nucleus) (scale bar: 100 μm). (B) Expression level changes in renal progenitor cell markers at 4 time points (day 0, 7, 14, and 21) of the 2D cultured porcine kidney organoids. The relative expression levels of markers about early nephrons (JAG1, BMP2), nephrogenic stroma (SALL1, ITGA8), ureteral buds (VLDLR, SLCO4C1), and endothelial progenitor cells (KDR, ANGPT2) were measured by real-time PCR. (C) Expression level changes in mature nephron components markers at 4 time points (day 0, 7, 14, and 21) of the 2D cultured porcine kidney organoids (Adopted from Li et al., 2018).
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