Japan’s Nara Prefectural Medical University recently succeeded in developing artificial blood that can be administered to all blood types. Artificial blood is a purple liquid made of red blood cells that artificially transport oxygen in the blood, and only hemoglobin is extracted from the blood and wrapped in a lipid membrane.
The biggest advantage of artificial blood is that anyone can receive it regardless of blood type. In general, an antigen-antibody reaction may occur depending on the blood type during blood transfusion, so it is necessary to check the blood type, but it seems that artificial blood can overcome the situation in which administration is restricted due to a lack of a specific blood type.
Professor Hiromizu Shikai said, “We removed only red blood cells during the production of hemoglobin, and there are no blood-type antigens. It can contribute to human health and well-being.” In addition, the retention period is longer than that of actual blood. Actual blood can be stored for up to four weeks when refrigerated, but artificial blood can be stored for up to two years at room temperature and five years when refrigerated.
Professor Masanori Matsumoto, who was in charge of the study, said, “Any patient or injured person can be administered regardless of their blood type. If they can survive even an hour by administering artificial blood, they will be able to transfer to a hospital in the meantime to take the next step.”
Experts expect that if artificial blood is provided in emergency helicopters or ambulances, it will be of great help to patients in island areas or remote areas where medical systems are insufficient. Nara Prefectural University of Medicine aims to put it to practical use within five years after clinical trials.
SOPHIA KIM
US ASIA JOURNAL
