Share with friends and circle of friends with wechat scanning QR code < / P > < p > Netease technology news on January 11, according to the surgeon of the University of Maryland Medical Center, a 57 year old heart patient underwent gene transfer pig heart transplantation last Friday, and the patient was in good condition. This is also the first successful transplantation of transgenic pig heart into patients, which is expected to bring hope to a large number of heart disease patients < p > it is reported that the patient named David Bennett underwent an eight hour operation in Baltimore, Maryland last Friday local time. The patient was in good condition on Monday. Dr. Bartley Griffith, director of the heart transplantation program at the University of Maryland Medical Center, performed the operation. "It produced a pulse and blood pressure, which became his heart," he said He added, "it works and looks normal. We're excited, but we don't know what will happen tomorrow. It's unprecedented." < p > < / P > < p > figure: a 57 year old heart patient underwent transgenic pig heart transplantation at the University of Maryland Medical Center last Friday. The patients were in good condition < / P > < p > according to relevant data, about 41354 Americans received organ transplantation last year, of which more than half received kidney transplantation. However, there is a serious shortage of transplant organs. About 12 patients die every day because they can't wait for a suitable transplant organ. Last year, about 3817 Americans received artificial heart transplants, a record high, but the potential demand is still higher < p > scientists have been working hard to develop pigs whose transplanted organs will not produce rejection reaction with the human body. In the past decade, new gene editing and cloning technologies have accelerated research progress. Just a few months ago, surgeons in New York successfully transplanted the kidney of a transgenic pig into a brain dead person < p > the heart transplanted into Bennett came from transgenic pigs provided by revivicor, a regenerative medicine company in Blacksburg, Virginia < p > figure: Dr. Bartley Griffith (left), director of the heart transplantation program at the University of Maryland Medical Center in charge of the operation < / P > < p > scientists made 10 modifications to the pig's gene, knocking out or inactivating four genes, because a molecule encoded by one gene will cause aggressive rejection in the human body < p > Muhammad mohiuddin, a professor of surgery at the University of Maryland School of medicine, said that a growth gene of the pig was also inactivated to prevent the pig's heart from continuing to grow after transplantation. Before transplantation, muhidin and Griffith did a lot of research together < p > in addition, six human genes were inserted into the genome of donor pigs in order to make pig organs more tolerant to the human immune system < p > researchers hope that this kind of surgery can lead to a new era of medicine in the future. At that time, there will be no shortage of transplantable organs for patients < p > "this is a milestone," said David Klassen, an organ transplant doctor. "I believe that the door to the treatment of organ failure is opening, which will bring significant changes in the way of treatment." < p > but he added that many obstacles need to be overcome before such surgery can be widely used. Clarkson stressed that some patients will have organ rejection even if they are transplanted to a well matched human donor kidney < p > "events like this may be over publicized, so it's important to keep the right point of view," clarson said. "A treatment like this takes a long time to mature." According to Bennett's family and doctors, Bennett decided to gamble on this experimental treatment. Bennett has exhausted other treatments. Without a new heart, he may die; And his condition is so serious that he is not eligible to receive donated hearts from others < p > experts said that it was uncertain about the prognosis of Bennett. Experts say Bennett himself is still connected to the cardiopulmonary bypass machine, which was used to maintain his life long before the operation. It is not uncommon for patients undergoing heart transplantation to connect cardiopulmonary bypass machines < p > Bennett's new heart function is normal and can already complete most of the work. The doctor said Bennett could leave the machine on Tuesday. Medical staff are closely monitoring Bennett's physical condition to see if there are signs of organ rejection. It is gratifying that Bennett has safely spent the crucial 48 hours after operation < p > in addition, medical staff are still monitoring whether Bennett will be infected with viruses, including porcine retrovirus, but the risk of infection is very low < p > according to an official at the University of Maryland Medical Center, Bennett said before the operation, "either die or have a transplant." "I want to live. I know it's a risk, but it's my last choice." < p > Griffith said that he first proposed this experimental treatment in mid December last year, which was an "unforgettable" and "quite strange" conversation < p > "I said, 'we can't give you a human heart; you're not qualified. But maybe we can use animals and pig hearts," Griffith recalled. "No one has done this before, but we think we can do it." < p > "I'm not sure he understands what I mean," Griffith added. "Then he said, 'well, do I feel uncomfortable?'" < / P > < p > xenotransplantation is a process of transplanting animal organs or tissues into the human body, which has a long history. The use of animal blood and skin can even be traced back hundreds of years < p > in the 1960s, chimpanzee kidneys were transplanted to some patients, but the longest life span of patients undergoing this operation was 9 months. In 1983, a baboon's heart was transplanted into a baby FAE, but she died 20 days later < p > pigs have an advantage over primates in organ acquisition because they are easier to feed and their organs can grow to the size of adult organs within 6 months. Porcine heart valves are often transplanted into the body. Doctors also transplant porcine pancreas cells to some diabetic patients. Pig skin is also used as a temporary graft for burn patients < p > two relatively new technologies, gene editing and cloning, have made it impossible for genetically modified pig organs to produce rejection. Muhammad hidin, a professor of surgery at the University of Maryland School of medicine, has previously successfully transplanted pig hearts into baboons. Muhidin and GriffithJointly established the heart xenotransplantation project and served as the scientific director of the project. However, it has not been used on patients before for safety reasons and fear of triggering life-threatening immune response < p > Jay Fishman, deputy director of the transplantation center of Massachusetts General Hospital, said that the reason why pig organs can be used for transplantation is that scientists have the ability to carry out genetic modification, have time for better infectious disease screening, and the time for patients to transplant organs is just right < p > "of course there will be challenges, but there will also be opportunities," he said < p > the medical team uses a new experimental drug developed by muhidin and produced by kiniksa pharmaceuticals to inhibit the human immune system and prevent rejection. In addition, the team used a new mechanical perfusion device to preserve the pig's heart before operation < p > towards the end of the year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also carried out intensive work, and finally urgently approved the transplantation on the night of December 31 < p > surgeons encountered many unexpected situations during the operation < p > illustration: in 2014, David Bennett, a patient undergoing this operation, was with the children < / P > < p > Griffith said: "the patient's anatomical structure is a little strange. We have had trouble several times and had to do some clever plastic surgery to make everything fit." When the team took out the pliers that restricted the blood supply to the organs, "the heart beat immediately" and "the animal's heart began to contract and expand" < p > when Bennett first told his son that David Bennett Jr. was about to have a heart transplant, his son was very confused < p > "I didn't believe him at first," said little Bennett, who lives in Raleigh, North Carolina. "He has been in the hospital for more than a month. I know he may be insane. I don't think it's possible." Little Bennett said that his father implanted a pig's heart valve about ten years ago. He thought his father might be confused. But after a while, little Bennett said, "I realized, 'man, he's telling the truth. He's not crazy. He may be the first." (Chen Chen) < / P > < p >