In a historic medical breakthrough, doctors in China have successfully transplanted a gene-edited pig liver into a human patient. This marks a significant step toward addressing the global organ shortage crisis.
The patient, whose identity remains undisclosed, received the pig liver in March 2024, with scientists making six genetic modifications to improve compatibility.
Unlike traditional transplants, surgeons left the patient’s own liver intact, allowing for careful monitoring of how the pig organ functioned alongside the human one.
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The transplant lasted 10 days before researchers ended the experiment at the family’s request. Notably, the liver showed no signs of inflammation or rejection, a major challenge in xenotransplantation—the process of using animal organs in humans.
Experts say pig liver transplants could eventually serve as a temporary bridge for patients in acute liver failure, offering them a lifesaving alternative while waiting for human donors. However, due to the liver’s complexity, further research is needed before full-scale pig liver transplants become a reality.
With over 9,000 people in the U.S. alone waiting for a liver transplant, this development offers new hope that genetically engineered animal organs could revolutionize modern medicine.
