Prevent rejection

• To help prevent rejection, precautions are taken:

  • Donor with a tissue type that closely matches the patients is chosen
  • Tissue type is based on a cells antigen
  • More similar the tissue type of the donor and the patient, more similar the antigen
  • This reduces the chance of the patients white blood cells identifying the donor antigens as foreign and producing antibodies to attack the donor organs
• • Recipient is treated with drugs that suppress the immune system
  • These drugs reduce the production and release of antibodies by the white blood cells, so that the immune system won't attack the transplanted kidney