Biology - Biotechnology and Its Applications Question with Solution | TestHub
Which was the first animal used for xenotransplantation of organs and tissues for humans?
Options:
Answer:
Solution:
Xenotransplantation is the transplantation of living cells, tissues, or organs from one species to another.
Pigs are considered the most suitable donor animals for human xenotransplantation because their organs are anatomically and physiologically similar in size and function to human organs.
To overcome the problem of hyperacute immune rejection in humans, genetically modified pigs were created. The first cloned pigs were developed specifically to lack a specific sugar molecule, alpha-gal, on their cell surfaces, which is primarily responsible for triggering the rapid rejection of pig organs by the human immune system.
While a sheep named Dolly was the first mammal cloned from an adult somatic cell, it was not created for xenotransplantation purposes.
Therefore, the cloned pig was the first animal developed for the xenotransplantation of organs and tissues for humans.
Answer: Cloned pig.
