[Renal transplantations: current reality and future challenges].

Kidney transplantation is a well recognized form of treatment for end-stage renal failure patients. Transplanted patients can hope for a prolonged and productive life. Many factors are responsible for the improvement of kidney transplantation over the last years. Despite its progress and success, many limitations still exist: shortage of kidney, humoral hypersensitivity or recipients, side effects of immunosuppressive medication and chronic rejection. Will the induction of specific tolerance to xenograft, with the help of transgenic biology, be the solution of tomorrow?