Resource Notes: Human-Animal Chimeras are Gestating on U.S. Research Farms

Resource Note: Human-Animal Organ Research

(Animal Research by Compassionate Action for Animals. Shared Under CC BY-SA 2.0. Web Source:https://www.flickr.com/photos/compassionateaction/41704834002)

For this resource post, I read Human-Animal Chimeras Are Gestating on U.S. Research Farms by Antonio Regalado. This article caught my attention through its opening line: "U.S. research cetners are moving ahead with attempts to grow human tissue inside pigs and sheep with the goal of creating hearts, livers, or organs needed for transplants" (Regaldo, 2016). I was astonished by this statement and I believe it would be a scientific break through if it could be achieved. However, if the feat could be accomplished, I would question its reliability as most diseases and illnesses are transferred from animals to humans. Since the organs would be coming from animals and placed in humans, I believe this swapping increases the chance that a serious disease could be spread at unpredictable rate. 

Away from this, I was surprised that the NIH agency believed that animals cognitive states may be altered if human brain cells are implanted in the animal. I do not know that much about animals, but I take that statement with much optimism. This is due to the fact that human cells interlink to make one human unique. However, if they do not align perfectly, then they do not work, cause deficiencies, or shut down. Due to this, I believe human cells will not produce as great of an effect in animals.

In closing, this article was fascinating and I hope that they are able to pull of the feat to have animals produce human organs. However, with much optimism I am questioning its reliability to work long-term in humans.

Reference:

Human-Animal Chimeras Are Gestating on U.S. Research Farms by Antonio Regalado. Posted January 6, 2016.