Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
An isograft is a type of tissue or organ transplant between genetically identical individuals, such as identical twins. This minimizes the risk of immune rejection due to the genetic similarity.
5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test
Isografts are commonly performed between identical twins because they have the same genetic makeup.
The risk of immune rejection in isografts is extremely low compared to other types of grafts.
Isografts are also known as syngeneic transplants.
They are often used in experimental settings to study transplantation without the variable of immune rejection.
Despite their genetic compatibility, minor histocompatibility antigens can still cause some level of immune response in rare cases.
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Related terms
Allograft: A transplant between genetically different individuals of the same species.
Xenograft: A transplant between individuals of different species.
Autograft: A transplant where tissue is moved from one site to another on the same individual.