Vascularized composite xenotransplantation: Where we have been and where we could go? - PubMed
3 hours ago
- #xenotransplantation
- #reconstructive-transplantation
- #gene-editing
- Vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) is limited by donor scarcity and immunosuppression.
- Xenotransplantation offers a potential solution, but vascularized composite xenotransplantation (VCX) remains experimental.
- A systematic review of VCX studies from 1885-2023 identified six preclinical studies.
- Donor species included pigs, rabbits, dogs, and humans; recipients were rodents or nonhuman primates.
- Most studies used heterotopic grafts combining skin, muscle, bone, and nerves.
- Techniques included cryopreservation, microsurgical anastomosis, and genetically modified pig grafts.
- All studies demonstrated short-term survival without long-term function.
- Advances in gene editing, immune modulation, and tissue engineering are essential for clinical translation.