Financial TimesFinancial Times

Scientists revive cells and tissues in dead pigs

By Clive Cookson

03 Aug 2022 · 3 min read

Editor's Note

Not only is the research interesting in terms of organ donation and transplants but also in its ethical implications: how definitively do we draw a line between life and death?

Yale research could expand donor organ availability but blurs boundary between life and death US scientists have used a new procedure to restore many biological functions in pigs that had been dead for more than an hour, raising profound questions about the boundary between life and death.

The project at Yale University extends a groundbreaking experiment that restored some brain functions to decapitated pigs three years ago. In the latest development, the team has restored blood circulation and cellular activity to the bodies of whole animals that were anaesthetised and then killed through an induced heart attack.

Sign in to informed

  • Curated articles from premium publishers, ad-free
  • Concise Daily Briefs with quick-read summaries
  • Read, listen, save for later, or enjoy offline
  • Enjoy personalized content
Or

LoginForm.agreeToTerms