Xiaofang Lin

Tropical Animal Medicine Research Center, Hainan Institute of Tropical Agricultural Resources, Sanya, 572000, Hainan, China
Author    Correspondence author
International Journal of Molecular Zoology, 2024, Vol. 14, No. 4   doi: 10.5376/ijmz.2024.14.0022
Received: 18 Jun., 2024    Accepted: 29 Jul., 2024    Published: 21 Aug., 2024

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Lin X.F., 2024, Pathogen-free pigs for safer xenotransplantation: advances and challenges in genetic engineering, International Journal of Molecular Zoology, 14(4): 244-254 (doi: 10.5376/ijmz.2024.14.0022)

Xenotransplantation, the transplantation of organs and tissues between different species, holds significant promise for addressing the shortage of human organs available for transplantation. Pigs are considered ideal donors due to their physiological similarities to humans. However, the risk of zoonotic pathogen transmission poses a substantial barrier to their use. This systematic review explores the latest advances in genetic engineering techniques aimed at creating pathogen-free pigs for safer xenotransplantation. We examine the current state of gene-editing technologies, such as CRISPR-Cas9, and their application in eliminating endogenous retroviruses and other pathogens. Additionally, we discuss the challenges faced in achieving complete pathogen eradication, including off-target effects, genetic stability, and ethical considerations. By evaluating the progress and limitations in this field, we aim to provide insights into the future directions for research and the potential impact of pathogen-free pigs on the safety and efficacy of xenotransplantation.

Xenotransplantation; Genetic engineering; Pathogen-free pigs; CRISPR-Cas9; Endogenous retroviruses