The term cytokine is derived from a combination of two Greek words - cyto meaning cell and kinos meaning movement. Cytokines are cell signalling molecules that aid cell to cell communication in immune responses and stimulate the movement of cells towards sites of inflammation, infection and trauma.
Organs that have been successfully transplanted include the heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas, intestine, and thymus. Some organs, like the brain, cannot be transplanted. Tissues include bones, tendons (both referred to as musculoskeletal grafts), corneae, skin, heart valves, nerves and veins.
Most livers that are transplanted come from organ donors shortly after they die. Organ donors are usually adults or children who have become critically ill (often due to an accident). If the donor is an adult, he or she may have agreed to be an organ donor. Parents or spouses can also agree to donate a relative's organs. When an organ is received from a deceased donor, it is called a âdeceased donorâ transplant. A child receiving a transplant may get either a whole liver or a piece (segment) of a liver.