First Human-Pig Embryos
January 27, 2017
The part-human, part-pig embryos, known as chimeras, are an attempt at providing transplant organs for the many individuals around the world who are in need.
The goal is to create pigs that could be used as an incubator to grow human organs with little to no adverse side effects. The pigs could lead normal lives, despite sheltering human organs.
While this research could have monumental effects for patients needing organ transplants, people still question if the practice is ethical or not. In fact, the US National Institutes of Health refuses to fund such experiments because of all of these unanswered ethical concerns.
Personally, I am hoping future 3D printed organ technology makes chimeras unnecessary.
Image by Carole Raddato from FRANKFURT, Germany [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
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