By Admin 
There is good news for millions of people suffering from kidney disease. Scientists from Canada and China have together created a ‘universal kidney’, which can work for patients of every blood group. This means that now the hassle of finding a donor for kidney transplant can end. This discovery will not only reduce the waiting list, but will also save millions of lives. Let us know what is Universal Kidney and how was it discovered?
This problem occurs most in kidney transplant.
In the world of kidney transplant, the biggest difficulty lies in matching blood groups. If the blood group of the donor and the patient is not the same then the body does not accept the kidney. Suppose someone’s blood group is A and if he is given a B type kidney, then the body rejects it considering it as ‘foreign’. To avoid this rejection, many medicines are given to the patient. These medicines are very expensive and many times they are not able to save life.
This blood group is universal donor
Let us tell you that O type blood group is called ‘universal donor’, because the kidney of this group can be given to a patient with any blood group A, B, AB or O. However, the problem is that O type kidneys are very rare. Its demand is so high that in America about 11 people die every day due to not getting a kidney. Even in India, lakhs of patients are spending their lives on dialysis because a suitable donor is not available for them. Apart from this, the waiting list is so long that many patients leave the world while waiting.
How was the universal kidney prepared?
Now scientists have found the solution to this problem. After 10 years of hard work, biochemist Stephen Withers of the University of British Columbia, Canada, and his team have created a kidney that will be suitable for patients of every blood group. It has been named ‘universal kidney’. This kidney works like O type, that is, it can be transplanted into the body of a patient with any blood group.
How was this kidney made?
Now the question arises that how was this kidney made? Actually, there are some special sugar molecules (antigens) on the surface of the kidneys of blood group A, B or AB. These antigens tell the body whether the kidney is its own or foreign. These antigens are not present in O type kidneys, hence everyone accepts it. For this, scientists took A type kidney and used special enzymes (proteins) in it. These enzymes work like a kind of ‘magic scissors’, which cut the antigens from the type A kidney. Due to this the kidney becomes like O type.
How was the universal kidney tested?
Scientists tested this universal kidney in the body of a brain-dead person. In this test, which was done with the consent of the family, the kidney continued to function for several days. It cleaned the blood. Removed waste material and functioned like a normal kidney. On the third day, some mild traces of A type were seen in the kidneys, due to which the body’s immune system became slightly active. However, this reaction was much less than normal.
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Disclaimer: This information is based on research studies and expert opinion. Do not consider this as a substitute for medical advice. Before adopting any new activity or exercise, please consult your doctor or relevant specialist.
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