• Question: Why does our immune system attack the transplanted organs?

    Asked by Martina to Carmen, Daniel, Laura, Noel, Steph on 10 Mar 2015. This question was also asked by Ilya-Schneider.
    • Photo: Stephanie Dyson

      Stephanie Dyson answered on 10 Mar 2015:

      Its something to do with the antibodies in the recipient vs the antibodies in the person the organ came from I think so the body thinks the proteins in the organ might be dangerous because it doesn’t know what they are and then tries to attack the organ

      Steph

    • Photo: Laura Garcia Ibanez

      Laura Garcia Ibanez answered on 10 Mar 2015:

      Hi Martina. Our immune system is prepared to detect any foreign thing that comes into the body. This means it needs to be able to recognise what is a part of our own body and what it is foreign. To do this each of our cells present a specific signature, this is specific proteins in the surface of the cell. These signatures vary also among humans but for example are more similar within the same family. When the immune system detect a signature that is not self it attacks it, as in transplants. Cheers!

    • Photo: Carmen Denman

      Carmen Denman answered on 10 Mar 2015:

      Hi Martina,
      Agreed with what Steph and Laura have written, but I would also add one more thing. Folks who do get organ transplants or xenografts have to be put on high levels of ‘anti-rejection’ medication to actually suppress their immune system from rejection. You can imagine with immune suppressed state they are more prone to other sorts of infections, but it one of the pros/cons of organ transplats.
      Cheers, great question!
      Carmen

    • Photo: Noel Carter

      Noel Carter answered on 10 Mar 2015:

      All of our cells produce special proteins that are present on the surface of the cells and are unique to us. Our immune system is trained to recognise them as we develop. Cells without these proteins are with slightly different proteins are seen as foreign and the immune system tries to kill it as it thinks it is something like a bacteria. So transplanted organs look foreign. We try to make match organs with similar proteins to the person getting the organ but it is never perfect. So people getting the new organ have to take drugs called immunosuppresents that stop the immune system working as well. Over time the immune system can begin to see the new organ as “self” though.

Comments