Artificial blood
Nina Notman reports on progress towards products that can, when necessary, replace donor red blood cells
Not all patients can receive donated blood, for a variety of reasons either medical or ethical. Scientists are hard at work creating artifical blood alternatives, including a perfluorocarbon-based oxygen carrier, non-human haemoglobin and a polymerised oxygen carrier inspired by lugworms. The blood cell substitutes also offer the potential for longer shelf-lives and being able to improve the lifespan of donated organs.