organ transplantation

• since the early 1800s, tissue transplants have been performed
• first successful organ transplant (kidney) in 1954
• organs that can be transplanted: heart, liver, lung, pancreas, intestines
• tissues that can be transplanted: cornea, skin, bone, bone marrow, tendons, blood vessels
• one risk in organ transplant is rejection of the new organ by the immune system
• drugs prevent rejection of new organs
• using drugs to fight rejection leads to the immune system becoming weak
• where can organs come from?

  • living donor organs
  • deceased donor organs
  • xenotransplantation
• xenotransplantation is the transfer of body parts from one species to another
• factors to consider when transplanting organs:

  • blood and tissue type
  • age and location of donor and recipient
  • how long recipient has been waiting for transplant