Q&A: Xenotransplantation
Xenotransplantation is when cells, tissues or organs are taken from one species and put into another to help treat disease. Read the Hub’s information sheet: Xenotransplantation to answer the questions in this worksheet.
Level: Upper secondary biology
Duration: 60 minutes
Keywords: xenotransplant, organ rejection, immune system, virus
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Download documents: Xenotransplantation: Question sheet 138.50 kB
Xenotransplantation: Answer sheet 141.00 kB
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Question sheet: Xenotransplantation
Finding
1. What is a xenotransplant?
2. Which diseases may be treated with a xenotransplant?
3. What job does the immune system do in the body?
4. What two methods are scientists using to make transplanted tissue unrecognisable to the immune system?
5. What is a PERV, and why might it cause problems for xenotransplantation?
6. List the alternatives to xenotransplantation given in the article.
Interpreting
7. Why does the immune system of a transplant recipient sometimes cause organ transplants to fail?
8. Does the immune system react differently to xenotransplants compared with conventional transplants?
9. How are researchers trying to overcome the problem of rejection of xenotransplants?
10. What proof is there that PERVs could cross the species barriers from pigs into humans?
11. Why are pigs a good source of organs for xenotransplantation?
12. Name some alternatives to xenotransplants, other than those given in the article.
Thinking
13. Do you think xenotransplantation is necessary? Why/why not?
14. Do you think xenotransplantation is safe? Why/why not?
15. Create a list that puts the alternatives to xenotransplantation in your order of preference.
16. If xenotransplantation from pigs to human were to become common in the future, how would you want the pigs to be treated? Why?
17. Would you have a xenotransplant? Why/why not?
18. If you were in charge of giving approval for the Living Cell Technologies trial, write a paragraph explaining whether or not you would allow their trial to go ahead and your reasons.
