Final answer:
Blood relatives are preferred as organ donors due to the lower risk of immune rejection, and immunosuppression is critical in preventing organ rejection after a transplant. Immunosuppressive drugs are used to dampen the immune response but also increase the risk of infections and cancer.
Step-by-step explanation:
Blood relatives are often preferred as organ donors due to the genetic similarities they share with the recipient. The closer the genetic match, the lower the risk of rejection by the recipient’s immune system. This is important because the body’s immune response is designed to protect against foreign entities, including mismatched organ and tissue types. A close genetic match between donor and recipient can potentially lower the need for immunosuppression.
Immunosuppression plays a critical role in organ transplantation. Transplant recipients typically require immunosuppressive drugs to prevent their immune system from attacking the transplanted organ, a process known as rejection. These drugs work by suppressing certain functions of the immune system, making it less likely to target the new organ. However, they also increase the risk of infections and possibly cancer, because the body's natural defense mechanisms are dampened.
The role of immunosuppressive drugs is a balance between preventing rejection and maintaining enough immune competence to fight off infections and abnormal cell growth. Without immunosuppression, the recipient's immune system might quickly reject the transplanted organ. However, with careful management, many transplant recipients can lead healthy lives with functioning transplanted organs.