Is it possible to transfuse chimpanzee blood to humans? 0 17

The process by which blood from one species is transfused to another is called xenotransfusion. Setting aside numerous ethical questions, such a procedure can be successful, but only in very limited cases. In 1667, French physician Jean-Baptiste Denis performed the first blood transfusion, transferring lamb's blood to a fifteen-year-old boy.

The first successful blood transfusion from human to human was performed in 1818 in England by Dr. James Blundell, who conducted the procedure between two patients. However, many early attempts ended in failure due to a lack of knowledge about blood compatibility.

The ABO blood group system plays a key role for humans, but it is also present in chimpanzees. At some point in evolution, the paths of humans and chimpanzees diverged, leading to the loss of some genetic similarities, including precise blood group compatibility.

For this reason, the antigens of the second and third human blood groups may differ from the corresponding antigens in chimpanzee blood. This means that there is a high risk of complications or rejection by the recipient's immune system during transfusion. However, in the first 'universal' blood group (O), antigens are absent, which allows for the avoidance of an immune response in humans. Thus, in extreme cases, transfusion from chimpanzees to humans is possible, but only for the first blood group.

Xenotransfusion is not a widely practiced procedure in medicine, but among animals with which humans could potentially exchange blood, chimpanzees are not the best choice. Despite being our closest 'relatives', pig blood is much more suitable for humans. The sizes of red blood cells in pigs are similar to those in humans, and the antigens in pig blood are more easily matched to human ones, reducing the likelihood of an immune response. Additionally, pigs can be genetically modified to produce red blood cells equivalent to human ones.