Published 19:10 IST, January 30th 2020
Scientists mix pig and human genes to create Hybrid skin to help burn survivors
In a new discovery, scientists have mixed the genes of pigs and humans to create a new kind of skin. It will help treat victims of burn wounds and acid attacks.
In a new discovery, scientists have mixed the genes of pigs and humans to create a new kind of skin. It will help treat victims of burn wounds and acid attacks. The skin is another step in the direction of creating pigs with organs that can be transplanted to humans. A report was published which stated that using animal donors could solve the problem of lack of organ donors and injecting human genes into these animals could help human bodies and immune systems accept these organs more conveniently.
New artificial skin tested on macaque monkeys
The new artificial skin has been developed by a team of Chinese researchers from the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, headed by Lijin Zou. The artificial skin was first tested on macaque monkeys and it was successful. The results showed that the artificial skin managed to sit intact on the monkey's original skin within a period of 25 days.
There were no additional medication or supplements needed as the human genes in the skin prevented the host's immune system to throw the foreign object out. The researchers believe that hybrid skin might work even better. The researchers added eight specific human genes into the pig genes to create the hybrid.
Scientists to create monkey-pig hybrid
Earlier, Chinese scientists have successfully managed to create a monkey-pig hybrid. Though both the chimera pigs born in the experiment died within a week, they were found to have monkey DNA in their heart, liver, spleen, lung, and skin. The two chimera pigs were born from 4,000 embryos that were implanted into a sow through In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF).
Even though the pigs died within a few days, the scientists are going to keep trying to create healthy animals with a much higher concentration of monkey DNA. The experiment only had one monkey cell for every 1,000 cells.
Updated 19:10 IST, January 30th 2020