Chris Simms in Nature:
What happens to organs when they are transplanted? Hearts from young donors age rapidly in the bodies of older recipients, and older hearts are rejuvenated inside young people, according to a study1. The findings, posted on the preprint server bioRxiv and not yet peer reviewed, imply that replacement organs could be sourced from older people than they are at present.
Heart transplants are being performed more and more frequently around the world, and in ever older people, partly because people are living longer. In the United States, for example, there were a total of 4,636 heart transplants in 2024 — 81.5% more than in 2013. Still, hundreds of people around the world die each year while on waiting lists for new organs.
More here.
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