Pig kidneys that were “frozen” for a year have been brought back to life
Pig kidneys that were cooled to -150 °C and stored in a freezer for months have been successfully rewarmed and shown to work again for the first time, say scientists. They hope to replicate the findings with human organs. The kidneys—which are similar in size to human ones—were left in a glass-like state, in one…
Scientists have successfully revived pig kidneys that were frozen for up to a year, a breakthrough that could revolutionize the field of organ transplantation. The kidneys, similar in size to human ones, were cooled to -150°C and stored in a freezer, placed in a glass-like state for extended periods. Upon re-warming, testing, and transplantation into pigs, the kidneys regained their color and began producing urine, indicating they were functioning properly.
Erik Finger, a transplant surgeon at the University of Minnesota who co-led the research, expressed his excitement about the results, stating that after the final transplant, he declared it a significant accomplishment. The study was shared on the preprint server bioRxiv but has not yet undergone peer review. While the kidneys are not yet perfect and the researchers have yet to demonstrate their long-term sustainability, this milestone achievement represents a major step forward in the field.
Experts in the field, such as Peter Kilbride, a cryobiologist and cofounder of Kyros Kairos, and Korkut Uygun, a biomedical engineer and professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School, praised the achievement, calling it a breakthrough and revolutionary for transplantation. The ability to bank organs for extended periods holds the promise of addressing numerous challenges, such as the shortage of available organs and the need for rapid transplantation within 24 to 36 hours to prevent organ damage.
Currently, doctors must administer immunosuppressive drugs to prevent organ rejection, which comes with side effects and increases the risk of infections and cancer. Vitrification, a process that turns cells into a glass-like state through ultra-low temperatures, has been successfully used to store eggs, sperm, and embryos. However, applying this technique to whole organs is more complex, as it requires overcoming issues like toxic chemicals, rapid cooling and rewarming, and uneven cooling.
To address these challenges, Finger and his colleagues developed a solution involving the use of iron oxide nanoparticles infused with cryoprotectants. When the nanoparticles are activated with an electromagnetic field, they release heat throughout the organ, enabling controlled and rapid rewarming.
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