Researchers of Nara Prefectural Medical University, Japan have created a new type of “artificial blood” that can be given to anyone, no matter their blood type. This is exciting because if it becomes available for use, it will be the first artificial blood in the world.
On June 2nd, Professor Hiromichi Sakai and his team from Nara Prefectural Medical University said they have created artificial blood that can be safely given to any patient. The team plans to start clinical trials next year to test its safety and effectiveness. If these trials go well and the product becomes available, it could solve the problem of not having enough blood for transfusions.
They made artificial blood that is purple. This happens because the hemoglobin, which is normally red in red blood cells and carries oxygen in our blood, has been specially treated. The researchers took hemoglobin from blood that was about to expire and would otherwise be thrown away. Then, they wrapped it in a tiny lipid membrane, kind of like a protective bubble, to make it into artificial blood.
Normally, real red blood cells need to be kept in the refrigerator and can only be stored for about four weeks. This artificial blood can last approximately two years at room temperature. However it is possible to keep up to five years in refrigerator. This longer shelf life makes it easier to store and use in different places.
A major advantage of this artificial blood is that it works for everyone, no matter their blood type. Usually, blood transfusions have to match the patient’s blood type to avoid problems, but this artificial blood doesn’t have the red blood cell membrane, which means it doesn’t have blood type antigens. Professor Sakai said this feature will help many people and improve health care.
Starting next year, the researchers will give this artificial blood to 16 healthy volunteers to test how safe and effective it is. If everything goes well, they plan to test it on more people and hope to have it available for use within 10 years.
This new artificial blood could be very helpful in places where it is hard to get fresh blood, such as remote islands or mountainous areas. Because it can be stored easily and doesn’t need strict temperature control, it could save many lives in these areas.
According to the Professor Masanori Matsumoto, this artificial blood can be used without matching blood type. Even if it only keeps someone alive for an hour, it could give them enough time to get to a hospital for further treatment.
Specialists also think this innovation might play a key role in addressing Japan’s ongoing blood shortage issue. Blood donations have been decreasing, especially among young people, and the population is aging, so having a reliable source of artificial blood could be very important for the future.
