Are there any rejection issues with the homograft valves?
In regard to rejection, my understanding is that the cryo-preservation technique used removes the antigens from the tissue and that you do not have the issue of rejection with this type of tissue. Antigens are small substances on the cell that triggers the production of antibodies and starts the process of destroying or rejecting the tissue. This is the reason why when you get a homograft you do not have to undergo the process of tissue typing and matching tissue types with the homograft. The homografts are not marked with blood types, etc. like some cyropreserved tissue because the antigens are removed and the tissue can be implanted into anyone regardless of their blood types. This is also true of the Porcine (pig) valves and bovine (cow) pericardial valves. Both use pig and cow tissue which normally the human body would reject but the processing techniques for these valves remove the antigens and thus the risk of rejection. [3] Some recent evidence exists for the potential of a reje
