Growing Human Organs - Timeline

First Skin Transplant performed

Jan 1, 1869

First skin transplant performed. *To the left, there is a picture of doctors during a surgical procedure.

First Successful Kidney Transplant

Jan 3, 1954

First successful kidney transplant. *To the left, there is a kidney diagram.

First Organs Recovered from the Deceased

Jan 1, 1962

First kidney, lung, and liver transplants recovered from deceased donors. *To the left, there is a picture of doctors while in a surgical procedure.

First Successful Pancreas Transplant

Jan 2, 1966

First successful pancreas transplant performed. *To the left, there is a picture of a pancreas diagram.

First U.S. Heart Transplant

Jan 2, 1967

First U.S. heart transplant performed. *To the left, there is a picture of a heart transplant. They are taking out the old heart and about to put in the new.

First Successful Liver Transplant

Jan 6, 1967

First successful liver transplant performed.

Cyclosporine Immune System Discovery

Jan 5, 1976

Cyclosporine is discovered to be able to suppress the immune system, helping to prevent the rejection of transplants. *To the left, there is a diagram of what cyclosporine looks like through a microscope.

First Combined Heart/Lung Transplant

Jan 3, 1981

First combined heart/lung transplant performed. *To the left, there is a picture of Dr. Nazih Zuhdi. This picture was taken while Dr. Zuhdi was performing a heart/lung transplant.

First Successful Lung and Heart/Liver Combined Transplant

Jan 4, 1983

First successful lung and heart/liver combined transplant performed. *To the left, there is a picture of the first successful heart and liver transplant combined. This photo was taken in Singapore.

First Successful Single Lung Transplant

Jan 5, 1983

First successful single lung transplant with significant recipient survival (more than 6 years). *To the left, there is a picture of a set of lungs.

First Successful Intestine Transplant

Jan 6, 1987

First successful intestine transplant performed. *To the left, there is a picture of both the large and small intestines.

First Successful Living Donor Lung Transplant

Jan 6, 1990

First successful living donor lung transplant was performed. *To the left, there is a picture of doctors during a surgical procedure.

First Hand Transplant (US)

Jan 3, 1999

First hand transplant performed in the U.S. *To the left, there is a picture of what the hand looks like after surgery.

Number of Living Donors Exceeds Number of Deceased Donors

Jan 6, 2001

Number of living donors exceeds number of deceased donors for the first time in the U.S. *To the left, there is a data table showing the death count in 18 different countries.

First Successful Partial Face Transplant (France)

Jan 6, 2005

First successful partial face transplant performed in France. *To the left, there is a diagram of a partial face transplant.

Pigs Grow Human Organs with Stem Cell Breakthrough

Jun 19, 2011

Scientists believe that pigs could grow human organs from the patient's stem cells. It would reduce the risk of the tranplanted organ being rejected, providing a significant amount of donor organ supplies.

Printable Organs Possible?

Feb 4, 2013

Scientists discovered how to print 3D stem cells and they wonder if printing 3D organs could be printable.

Lab-Grown Rat Kidneys

Apr 14, 2013

Scientists successfully make fully functional lab-grown ray kidneys.

Ban on Growing Human Organs in Animals to be Lifted

Jun 19, 2013

In Japan, the ban on growing human organs in animals is to be lifted.

Humans Organs - Able to Be Grown in Animals

Jun 20, 2013

Government appointed scientists have discovered that human organs can be grown in an animals embryo. By injecting the animal's womb with the human stem cell, it will grow into a fully functionable human organ.