An invaluable resource for animal scientists, veterinarians, and biomedical researchers, this book shows that in the past twenty years, the knowledge base about the physiology and biology of the pig has grown phenomenally. This is because of the animal's rapid rise in popularity as a model subject in biomedical research and the ongoing research concerning its use worldwide as a food source. The Biology of the Domestic Pig offers an integrated description of the full scope of current knowledge. The editors have included chapters on the expanding fields of immunology, endocrinology, and genetics. Growth, digestion, nutrition, respiration, excretion, and reproduction are extensively treated. The final chapter covers the emerging applications of transgenics, metabolite replacement therapy, and xenotransplantation (the use of animal tissues in humans).