[Kidney xenotransplant, a real alternative?]

KIDNEY XENOTRANSPLANT, A REAL ALTERNATIVE TO TRANSPLANTATION? Renal xenotransplantation involves transplanting a kidney from an animal species, primarily pigs, into a human recipient to address organ shortage. Recent advances, particularly in genetic editing, have improved immune tolerance and reduced the risk of hyperacute rejection. Several compassionate-use transplants have been performed on human patients. A major concern remains the potential transmission of porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERV), although no replication has been observed in humans. Other challenges include physiological compatibility, long-term graft survival, and ethical acceptance. Additionally, the cost of developing genetically modified organs raises economic questions. Despite these obstacles, xenotransplantation represents a promising solution to the organ donation crisis and could eventually revolutionize kidney transplantation.