Medical Transplants and Regenerative Medicine

Types of Transplants

• Autotransplant: Donor and recipient are the same patient. Used for tissues or organs such as skin portions or bone.
• Isotransplant: Donor and recipient are identical twins. No rejection occurs.
• Xenotransplant: Donor and recipient are distinct species (e.g., using pig heart valves in humans). There is a risk of rejection.
• Allogeneic Transplant: Donor and recipient are of the same species but genetically different. This is the most common type, and there is a risk of rejection.

Immune Rejection Problems

Our immune system distinguishes self from foreign. If it locates foreign tissue, it attempts to destroy it. This is of great importance when dealing with viruses and bacteria, but it also applies to donor tissue. It is crucial that donor and recipient are as genetically close as possible, as rejection can result in death.

Immunosuppressive drugs are used to avoid or minimize rejection, but they also leave patients vulnerable to infection.

Organ Shortage

Despite Spain having high donation rates, there are still more than 5000 people on the waiting list.

Inability to Transplant Certain Tissues

This includes the brain and nervous tissue, especially for curing diseases like Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and spinal injuries.

Diet

A balanced diet provides all kinds of nutrients and the right conditions to keep our body in good condition and achieve proper weight maintenance. Fat provides twice the energy of protein and carbohydrates.

A general diet composition should consist of:

• Carbohydrates: 55%
• Fat: 30%
• Proteins: 15%

Saturated animal fats increase cholesterol, and unsaturated fats from animals can favor obesity.

Mediterranean Diet

Characterized by fresh fruits and vegetables, cereals (like rice), derivatives such as bread and pasta, and legumes (such as lentils and beans). Protein primarily comes from fish, and the main fat source is olive oil.

Regenerative Medicine

Stem Cells

• Embryonic Stem Cells: From early embryos, they have greater potential and are pluripotent (can originate any tissue type).
• Adult Stem Cells: Found in epithelial tissues and bone marrow. They are less multipotent; the rest are oligopotent.
• Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: These are under investigation. Adult cells are subjected to specialist treatments to dedifferentiate and become pluripotent like embryonic stem cells.