Abstract

Understanding of the mechanisms of transplant and xenotransplant rejection represents one of the most important aspects of both basic and clinical immunology. This review discusses the roles of 1) immune response and 2) the influence of various products of arachidonic acid metabolism on immune response in graft survival. The review also includes an overview of novel therapeutic approaches developed to prevent, or at least delay, graft rejection. New discoveries in basic and clinical immunology have generated new areas of research in pharmacology that may prevent rejection more efficiently, a key issue in modern medicine.

Keywords: Xenotransplant, transplant, graft rejection, immune response, hyperacute transplant rejection, acute transplant rejection, chronic transplant rejection, arachidonic acid metabolism