Japanese Scientists Develop Artificial Blood
Japanese Scientists Develop Artificial Blood
www.tokyoweekender.com
Japanese Scientists Develop Artificial Blood
The artificial blood is created by extracting hemoglobin — a protein containing iron that facilitates the transportation of oxygen in red blood cells — from expired donor blood. It is then encased in a protective shell to create stable, virus-free artificial red blood cells. As these artificial cells have no blood type, there is no need for compatibility testing. The synthetic blood can reportedly be stored for up to two years at room temperature and five years under refrigeration.
The artificial blood is created from expired donor blood, so we still have to keep donating blood, but it increases the shelf life from 42 days refrigerated to 2 years at room temp, which is pretty amazing. Studies began in 2022.
But also compatibility is now irrelevant. It's like everyone who donates is a universal blood type.
As a universal donor, this is great news! The blood banks may no longer treat me as special tho, dang...
Oh, so its recycled blood. Ok.
It's up cycled blood. They take hemoglobin from expired blood (the part that actually carries the oxygen) and wrap it in an artificial cell that lacks the proteins related to blood type. This allows it to be accepted by all people.