Language
Country/Area
No result found
The Miracle of Blood Substitutes: How can humans create solutions that don't require blood transfusions?
As innovation in the medical field continues to advance, the development of blood substitutes is attracting increasing attention. This substance, called "artificial blood" or "blood substitute", aims to simulate part of the functions of biological blood and provide an alternative to blood transfusion. Although there is no widely accepted alternative to oxygen-carrying blood yet, researchers are working to provide safe and effective solutions in a variety of situations, especially in areas with high risk of infectious diseases.
The emergence of blood substitutes can not only avoid the risk of disease transmission, but also deal with the shortage of blood supply.
Historical review
The history of hematology can be traced back to 1616, when William Harvey discovered the basic principles of blood circulation. Subsequent attempts were made to use beer, urine, milk, and the blood of non-human animals as alternatives. In the early 20th century, with the development of transfusion medicine and the deepening understanding of blood composition and blood type serology, researchers began to look for safer alternatives to blood transfusions that did not require matching blood types.
The outbreak of the HIV epidemic in the 1980s, and the subsequent mad cow disease crisis, further fueled the need for safe blood substitutes. Investors in the biotech industry are hopeful about the development of blood substitutes, driven by multiple factors, including rising demand and falling donors. Recently, DARPA announced funding for a number of universities and laboratories to conduct research on synthetic blood, and future clinical trials are expected to begin between 2028 and 2030.
Types of blood substitutes
Currently, researchers are focusing on two types of blood substitutes: hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOC) and perfluorocarbon emulsions. These alternatives are designed to provide alternative oxygen transport capabilities in emergency situations to respond to the need for blood transfusions.
Hemoglobin-based products currently face several challenges, including safety, effectiveness and potential side effects.
The potential of perfluorocarbons
Perfluorocarbons are insoluble in water, so they need to be made into emulsions, which are added with antibiotics, vitamins, nutrients and other components during use. These perfluorocarbon particles are able to carry higher amounts of oxygen and have a smaller diameter that can travel through tiny capillaries, helping damaged tissues get oxygen. However, such products still face challenges in clinical use, and the FDA withdrew its approval of Fluosol in 1994 due to its storage and use complications and risks associated with complications such as pulmonary edema.
The challenge of hemoglobin
In contrast, hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs) have encountered more problems during development. These products need to overcome the toxicity of hemoglobin itself, because the oxygen affinity of free hemoglobin is too high, making it unable to effectively supply oxygen to tissues. In addition, some HBOC products attempted in clinical trials have faced varying degrees of failure, leading related companies to declare bankruptcy or withdraw product development.
In 2009, the FDA rejected Northfield Laboratories' HBOC product, leading to the company's eventual bankruptcy.
The future of stem cells
In recent years, scientists have begun to use stem cells to produce blood that can be transfused. This technology can significantly reduce the production cost of unit blood and provide substitutes for various blood types. These stem cells extracted from umbilical cord blood can successfully produce red blood cells with normal functions after a series of culture and biochemical treatments, which has great potential.
Although the development of blood substitutes currently faces many challenges, scientists' efforts bring hope for the future of medical treatment. Research on blood substitutes is not only a scientific breakthrough, but may also save countless lives in times of war, disasters, and high rates of infectious diseases. Therefore, the successful development of universally available blood substitutes in the future will have a profound impact on the medical community. Are we ready for this revolutionary change?
