Nara Medical University will begin a clinical trial in spring 2025 to test reusing artificial red blood cells made from donated blood that is past its shelf life and usually discarded.
A research team from a university in Nara Prefecture aims to make use of the artificial cells practical by around 2030. These cells are generating interest for use, especially during natural disasters and on hard-to-reach remote islands. If successful, this would be the world’s first practical application of such cells.
Artificial red blood cells are produced by extracting hemoglobin, which carries oxygen, from donated blood and wrapping it with an artificial lipid membrane, according to the team. The artificial cells have a purplish color, unlike the common red color of blood, as they are made in a way that they do not oxidize until they are used.
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