Transplant Medicine
The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) contains over 128 functional genes. This is the densest part of the human genome and is responsible for most autoimmune diseases. This region also determines vaccine responsiveness, adverse drug reactions, disease progression and transplant rejection. The MHC genes are multigenic with a high degree of allelic polymorphism. There are over 7,500 different alleles and over 5,458 expressed MHC antigens currently known. (DeFranco, Locksley & Robertson, 2007). Genomic evolution and HLA screening have been extremely profitable to Transplant Medicine.
A brief analysis of MHC variability reveals two classes of antigens belonging to this complex; class I (A, B, and C) and II (DR, DQ, and DP). Both classes of molecules are expressed in a co-dominant fashion. These molecules are designed to recognize antigens that are foreign to the body and present them to the T cells. (Janeway, Travers & Walport, 2001)
The co-dominant mode of inheritance of MHC genes assures that each individual will have a distinct antigen on their cell surface. This forms the basis of graft rejection. Once a foreign antigen enters the human body, activation, proliferation and differentiation of lymphocytes into effector cells continues until the foreign antigen is eliminated, after which the immune system returns to its quiescent state and an immunologic memory is generated. (Janeway, Travers & Walport, 2001)
Tissue typing to match HLA antigens is an important step before transplantation. In general, the larger the number of matched MHC alleles between the donor and the recipient, greater are the chances of graft survival. However, routine HLA typing focuses only on HLA-A,...
Organ Donation Why Organ Donating is a Social Responsibility Life is a sentence. It begins with a capital letter, has something in between, and then a punctuation mark at the end. Organ donation allows part of our physical body to be of use to someone else for short time after we have passed. It is a beautiful gift to be able to make someone else's life a little longer. This gives them
2009). The susceptibility is highest is the first month of the transplantation and decreases afterwards. it, however, remains high even after 12 following. Susceptibility is highest among kidney recipients who are more likely to develop the infection 12 months after the transplantation. They have a lower mortality rate than liver transplant recipients. The study also reflected a trend in increasing antimicrobial resistance among these susceptible recipients. The E-coli strain
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In the U.S. For instance, Abuona (2003) indicated that the very first criterion is the donor's geographic location as compared to that of the recipient followed by the histocompatibility matching and blood group compatibility. The third criterion is a point system that each of the waiting-list patients accumulate in regard to the following variables; waiting time, medical urgency, as well as the age of the patient. This allocation technique
Concern also focused on the imbalance of the trade because the market is for only those who can afford, therefore only gives chance for the well-off. The black market has been referred to as the transplant trade outside of the United States. Legalization of the international organ trade would lead to increased supply, lowering prices. Therefore the poor might be able to afford such organs as well. Bioethics is also
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