Russia Approves First Animal-to-Human Transplant Procedure
No More Needles Russia has approved a xenotransplantation treatment that inserts insulin-producing pig cells into the human pancreas, reducing the need for insulin injections in type 1 diabetes patients. Electorn via WikimediaPig cells wrapped in seaweed will be implanted into diabetes patients Russian authorities have approved the first xenotransplantation treatment - the implanting of animal cells into the human body - for sale in that country, marking the first time such a treatment has been appoved anywhere. The type 1 diabetes treatment involves inserting insulin-producing pig cells coated in seaweed into the human pancreas to replace native cells that have been depleted there. Type 1 diabetes occurs when insulin-producing cells in the pancreas are destroyed. As such, people suffering from the condition must inject insulin into their bloodstreams to regulate their glucose levels, but doing so can cause swings in blood sugar that can lead to other complications. The Russian treatment replaces...