Human organs come out of the deep cold

Abstract

Over the past 50 years, organ transplantation has developed into a life-saving treatment for many severe diseases of the kidney, liver, heart, pancreas and other organs. Underpinning this achievement are two remarkable scientific advances: the ability to manipulate patients’ immune systems to accept an organ donated from an unrelated individual and the possibility of preserving organs outside the body for at least several hours. But while immunosuppression strategies have improved substantially, progress in organ preservation has been modest.