Japanese scientists successfully transplant kidney tissue from one rat fetus to another

Japanese scientists have successfully transplanted kidney tissue from one rat fetus to another while the recipient was still in its mother’s womb, Interesting Engineering, a science magazine, said in a new report.

According to nephrologists at Jikei University School of Medicine in Tokyo consider this initial step towards eventually transplanting fetal pig kidneys into human fetuses that develop without properly functioning organs, the report added.

The potential benefits of transplanting an organ before birth are substantial. It allows the organ to grow and mature alongside the developing fetus, ensuring functionality at birth and reducing the risk of rejection.