Viable genetically modified sheep with an inactivated alpha-1,3-galactosyltransferase (GGTA1) gene

Abstract

Provided herein is the first viable galactosyltransferase (Gal) knock-out sheep having a deletion or mutation of alpha-1,3-galactosyltransferase (GGTA1) gene and methods of making the same. Also provided are methods of screening a biological implant for stimulation of an antibody-mediated inflammatory response to a Gal antigen by implanting the biological implant into a recipient Gal knock-out animal and detecting signs of antibody-mediated inflammatory response in the recipient Gal knock-out animal. Further provided is a method of implanting a biological implant into a human subject by screening a first biological implant for signs of antibody-mediated inflammatory response in a recipient Gal knock-out animal and, upon detecting minimal or no signs of antibody mediated inflammatory response in the recipient Gal knock-out animal, implanting a second biological implant into the human subject, wherein the second biological implant is comparable to the first biological implant.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.