homograft
Noun: A surgical procedure in which tissue or an organ is transferred from one individual to another of the same species. The donor and recipient are genetically non-identical, so the recipient's immune system will recognize the graft as foreign and attempt to reject it unless immunosuppressive drugs are used.
This is a technical medical term used primarily in the fields of surgery, immunology, and transplant medicine. - It describes the graft itself (the transplanted tissue or organ). - It can also refer to the procedure or the result of such a transplant.
- The patient received a homograft to replace the damaged heart valve.
- Rejection is a major risk following any homograft transplantation.
- Surgeons often use a homograft when a synthetic material is not suitable.
- Adjectival Use: The term is often used attributively (like an adjective) before another noun.
- Homograft rejection is mediated by T-cells.
- The homograft valve functioned well for years.
- Synonym: Allograft. (Note: In modern medical terminology, "allograft" is the more commonly used term. "Homograft" is considered somewhat dated but is still understood.)
- Related Term: Autograft: A graft transplanted from one part of a patient's body to another (e.g., skin graft).
- Related Term: Xenograft or Heterograft: A graft transplanted from a donor of a different species (e.g., from a pig to a human).
- Allograft
- Allogeneic graft
This term specifically implies a genetic difference between donor and recipient within the same species, which triggers an immune response. It is contrasted with: - Isograft: A graft between genetically identical individuals (e.g., identical twins). - Autograft: A graft from the same individual. - Xenograft: A graft from a different species.
- tissue or organ transplanted from a donor of the same species but different genetic makeup; recipient's immune system must be suppressed to prevent rejection of the graft