Artificial Blood Substitutes: First Steps on the Long Route to Clinical Utility.
The 21st century is challenging for human beings. Increased population growth, population aging, generation of new infectious agents, and natural disasters are some threatening factors for the current state of blood transfusion. However, it seems that science and technology not only could overcome these challenges but also would turn many human dreams to reality in this regard. Scientists believe that one of the future evolutionary innovations could be artificial blood substitutes that might pave the way to a new era in transfusion medicine. In this review, recent status and progresses in artificial blood substitutes, focusing on red blood cells substitutes, are summarized. In addition, steps taken toward the development of artificial blood technology and some of their promises and hurdles will be highlighted. However, it must be noted that artificial blood is still at the preliminary stages of development, and to fulfill this dream, ie, to routinely transfuse artificial blood into human vessels, we still have to strengthen our knowledge and be patient.
Blood Transfusion Research Center, High Institute for Research and Education in Transfusion Medicine, Tehran, Iran.
Samira
S
Moradi
Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, and Isfahan Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Isfahan, Iran.
Ali
A
Jahanian-Najafabadi
Department of Medical Biotechnology, Laboratory of Microbiology and Immunology of Infectious Diseases, Paramedicine Faculty, Guilan University of Medical Sciences Rasht, Iran.
Mehryar Habibi
MH
Roudkenar
artificial blood; hemoglobin; oxygen carrier; red blood cells