Atrificial blood closer to reality
In a possible breakthrough in developing artificial blood, scientists have created jelly-like synthetic particles which they claim mimic some of the key properties of red blood cells.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who made the discovery believe this could also lead to more effective treatments for life threatening medical conditions such as cancer.
Detailing their study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team reported that they used a technology known as Print (Particle Replication in Non-wetting Templates) to produce very soft hydrogel particles that mimic the size, shape and flexibility of red blood cells, allowing the particles to circulate in the body for extended periods of time.
The scientists are yet to test the particles’ ability to perform functions such as transporting oxygen or carrying anti-cancer drugs. But early experiments indicate they have exciting medical potential. One possible application is unlimited supplies of man-made blood.
Over their 120-day lifespan, real cells gradually become stiffer and eventually are filtered out of circulation when they can no longer deform enough to pass through pores in the spleen.
To date, attempts to create effective red blood cell mimics have been limited because the particles tend to be quickly filtered out of circulation due to their inflexibility.
Beyond moving closer to producing fully synthetic blood, the findings could affect approaches to treating cancer. Cancer cells are softer than healthy cells, enabling them to lodge in different places in the body, leading to the disease’s spread. —PTI
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