Transplant rejection
Transplant Rejection
Transplant rejection (pronunciation: trans-plant re-jec-tion) is a process in which a transplant recipient's immune system attacks the transplanted organ or tissue. This is because the immune system identifies the new organ or tissue as foreign and responds to it as a threat.
Etymology
The term "transplant rejection" is derived from the Latin words "trans" meaning "across" and "plantare" meaning "to plant". The term "rejection" comes from the Latin "reicere" which means "to throw back".
Types of Transplant Rejection
There are three main types of transplant rejection:
- Hyperacute rejection occurs immediately after the transplant when the antigens are completely unmatched. The tissue must be removed right away so the recipient does not die.
- Acute rejection occurs anytime from the first week after the transplant to 3 months afterward. Everyone who receives a transplant has some amount of acute rejection.
- Chronic rejection happens over a long period of time. The constant immune response slowly damages the transplanted tissues or organ.
Related Terms
- Immunosuppression is the reduction of the activation or efficacy of the immune system. It is typically used to prevent the body from rejecting a transplanted organ.
- Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a complication that can occur after a stem cell or bone marrow transplant in which the newly transplanted donor cells attack the transplant recipient's body.
- Transplant tolerance refers to a state in which the recipient's immune system does not react to antigens present on the donor organ.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Transplant rejection
- Wikipedia's article - Transplant rejection
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