○張軍輝

Anything related to GMO(genetically modified organism)will stir a big wave in China.On one hand,some so called experts and government departments do what they can to persuade people to believe that GM food is safe;on the other hand more people don’t buy their story and think of GMO as a disaster.The debate between Fang Zhouzi and Cui Yongyuan made GMO once the hottest and most known phrase.And even the illiterate are talking about it.

GMO is a new technology,especially for Chinese people.When we are worried about the safety of our grain or bean,US researchers have created the most genetically modified animals——37 pigs to help end a shortage of organs for transplant.

The scientists successfully rid those lovely pigs of viruses hiding in their DNA,overcoming one of the big barriers to transplanting pig organs to people.

They admit preventing pig organs from being rejected by the human body remains a huge challenge

But experts said it was a promising and exciting first step.

More than 100,000 people need an organ transplant in the US.There are about 6,500 people on the UK waiting list.

Pigs are particularly promising for xenotransplantation as their organs are a similar size to humans',and the animals can be bred in large numbers.

在中國，任何和轉(zhuǎn)基因沾邊的東西都會(huì)引起轟動(dòng)。一方面，一些所謂的專家和政府機(jī)構(gòu)不遺余力地宣傳轉(zhuǎn)基因的安全性；另一方面，更多的人拒絕相信，堅(jiān)持認(rèn)為轉(zhuǎn)基因就是災(zāi)難。方舟子和崔永元關(guān)于轉(zhuǎn)基因食品安全性的爭論一度讓轉(zhuǎn)基因成為最熱的詞匯，甚至沒上過幾年學(xué)的人都在談?wù)撧D(zhuǎn)基因。

轉(zhuǎn)基因是一項(xiàng)新技術(shù)，尤其對(duì)中國而言。當(dāng)我們還在為吃不吃轉(zhuǎn)基因的谷物和大豆喋喋不休時(shí)，美國的研究人員“創(chuàng)造”出了“最轉(zhuǎn)基因”的動(dòng)物——37頭轉(zhuǎn)基因豬，希望借此改善人類器官移植缺乏供體的困境。

科學(xué)家們首先成功地清除了隱藏在這些可愛小豬DNA里的病毒，為實(shí)現(xiàn)人類移植豬器官掃清了一個(gè)大障礙。

他們同時(shí)承認(rèn)如何避免人體對(duì)豬器官的排異仍然是一個(gè)巨大挑戰(zhàn)。

但是，專家也說這一步表明前途很光明，令人興奮。

美國有超過10萬的人需要器官移植，而英國在這方面的數(shù)字則大約是6500。由于豬和人類的器官尺寸最接近，也適合大規(guī)模養(yǎng)殖，讓豬成為最適合異種器官移植的動(dòng)物。

Notes：

GMO，genetically modified organism轉(zhuǎn)基因

Illiterate文盲；讀書少的人

Transplant移植

Virus病毒

Organ器官

Xenotransplantation異種器官移植。