人造血粉或10年内问世

    For medics* in the field, getting replacement blood into patients as soon as possible can make the difference between life or death. But scientists working to develop artificial blood cells could bring life-saving transfusions* to more trauma* patients within the next 10 years.

    The hope is that the artificial blood could be freeze dried and stored in powder form, ready for use by paramedics* and combat medics on the battlefield.

    At the heart of the breakthrough are tiny synthetic* cells which mimic red blood cells, holding onto oxygen and slowly releasing it as they circulate around the body.

    Developed by a team at Washington University in St Louis, the artificial cells carry oxygen to tissues and have already been shown to be effective in animals.

    At around 2 percent the size of a human red blood cell, the synthetic blood cells can be stored at room temperature and mixed with water, ready for use.

    Allan Doctor, who is leading the research, said: “It’s a dried powder that looks like paprika*, basically. It can be stored in a plastic bag that a medic would carry, either in their ambulance or in a backpack, for a year or more. When they need to use it, they spike the bag with sterile* water, mix it, and it’s ready to inject right then and there.”

    Called ErythroMer, the artificial blood has already jumped through the first clinical hoop, proving effective in animal trials.

    In studies with mice, researchers replaced a large volume of blood with the artificial substitute, showing the manmade cells were able to capture oxygen and release it in tissues around the body just as well as the animals’ own cells.

    Further trials in rats demonstrated the artificial blood could be used to resuscitate* animals in shock who had lost 40 percent of their blood.

    (SD-Agencies)