2016.6.6

news from BBC

US bid to grow human organs for transplant inside pigs

Scientists in the United States are trying to grow human organs inside pigs.

1.　　They have injected human stem cells(干细胞) into pig embryos to produce human-pig embryos known as chimeras.

　　　embryo　【ˈembriəʊ】　胚芽，胚胎

　　　chimera　【kaɪˈmɪərə】　幻想，妄想　

2.　　Creating the chimeric embryos takes two stages. First, a technique known as CRISPR gene editing is used to remove DNA from a newly fertilised pig embryo that would enable the resulting foetus to grow a pancreas（胰腺）.

　　　gene editing　基因编辑　

　　　foetus　【ˈfi:təs】　胎儿

3.　　This creates a genetic "niche" or void. Then, human induced pluripotent (iPS) stem cells are injected into the embryo. The iPS cells were derived from adult cells and "dialled back" to become stem cells capable of developing into any tissue in the body.　　　

　　　inject　【ɪnˈdʒekt】　注射

　　　tissue　【ˈtɪʃu】　组织

4.　　Our hope is that this pig embryo will develop normally but the pancreas will be made almost exclusively out of human cells and could be compatible with a patient for transplantation.

　　　exclusive　【ɪk'sklu:sɪvlɪ】　唯一地，专门地，排外地

　　　compatiable　【kəmˈpætəbl】　兼容的

5.　　The main concern is that the human cells might migrate to the developing pig's brain and make it, in some way, more human.

　　　migrate　【maɪˈgreɪt】　移动，迁移

6.　　Pablo Ross says this is unlikely but is a key reason why the research is proceeding with such caution: "We think there is very low potential for a human brain to grow, but this is something we will be investigating."

　　　proceed　【prəˈsi:d】　前进，进行

　　　caution　【ˈkɔ:ʃn】　警告，小心

7.　　Like the team in California, Prof Low said they were monitoring the effects on the pig brain: "With every organ we will look at what's happening in the brain and if we find that it's too human like, then we won't let those foetuses be born".

　　　monitor　【ˈmɒnɪtə】　检测，监视，班长