Scientists Create First Human-Pig Chimeric Embryos

While the hope is to one day grow organs for transplantation into people, several technical and ethical challenges remain.

Written byDiana Kwon

| 4 min read

Save for Later

Listen with Speechify

0:00

4:00

A 4-week-old pig embryo injected with human pluripotent stem cellsSALK INSTITUTE

Researchers may one day overcome the problem of organ shortages for transplantation by growing spare human organs in other animals. A group led by scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies has taken the first big step toward making this a reality: today (January 26) in Cell, they report having grown the first human-pig chimeric embryos.

The team, led by Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, began by creating rat-mouse chimeras—a feat first accomplished in 2010, when scientists in Japan successfully produced a mouse with a pancreas developed from rat pluripotent stem cells. For the present study, Izpisua Belmonte’s group took the experiment one step further, using CRISPR-Cas9 to delete the genes in mice that coded not only for the pancreas, but other organs, such as ...

Interested in reading more?

The Scientist ARCHIVES

Become a Member of

Receive full access to more than 35 years of archives, as well as TS Digest, digital editions of The Scientist, feature stories, and much more!

Join for free today

Already a member? Login Here

Meet the Author

Diana Kwon
Diana is a freelance science journalist who covers the life sciences, health, and academic life. She’s a regular contributor to The Scientist and her work has appeared in several other publications, including Scientific American, Knowable, and Quanta. Diana was a former intern at The Scientist and she holds a master’s degree in neuroscience from McGill University. She’s currently based in Berlin, Germany.
View Full Profile