Question: Recently which of the following country, for the first time, approved the growing of human organs in animals?
(a) India
(b) Japan
(c) South Africa
(d) Italy
Answer: (b)
Related facts:
- Recently Scientists in Japan received the permission to grow human organs in animals. If it happens, this will be the first study of its kind in the country.
- A professor of genetics Hiromitsu Nakauchi, at Stanford University led the research of this kind.
- This kind of research involves implanting modified animal embryos with human Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) cells.
- Scientists say that these kinds of implanted stem cells in animal embryo can be directed into forming the building blocks of any part of human organ.
- Researchers mentioned that it is the initial stage of the lengthy research, which will ultimately lead towards the future where human organs for transplant could be grown inside animals.
- This only became possible after Japan changed its rules on implanting human cells into animals. The research involves generating animal embryos- mice, rats or pigs. All these animals lacks pancreas.
- It is noticeable that Japan had previously required researchers to terminate animal embryos implanted with human cells after 14 days and prevented the embryos from being placed into animal wombs to develop.