TY - JOUR
T1 - Developmental trend of artificial blood (artificial red blood cells)
AU - Takeoka, Shinji
PY - 2005/3/1
Y1 - 2005/3/1
N2 - Regarding research on artificial blood, the "Field of Artificial Blood Development" was inaugurated in 1997, supported by the Ministry of Health and Welfare Grant-in-Aid for Health Science Research, for intensive research activities in the three sub-fields, i.e., artificial red blood cells, artificial platelets, and artificial antibodies. Developed by molecular assembling technology, artificial red blood cells, in the form of hemoglobin vesicles comprising hemoglobin encapsulated with a phospholipid bilayer as a highly efficient oxygen carrier, are now under investigation in laboratory animals to verify their function and safety. These vesicles are characterized by a particle size about 1/30 that of erythrocytes, preservability in a liquid state for 2 years at room temperature, and a sufficient retention time in circulating blood without evoking activation of platelet or complements. The hemoglobin vesicles have proven both to possess a high oxygen-carrying capacity in massive exchange transfusion studies in rodents, and to be remarkably safe, based on blood biochemical tests and pathologic findings in load-dosing and repeated-dose studies. Their noticeable safety against active oxygen has also been demonstrated. A joint industry, government, and university research project on artificial red blood cells is in progress with the present objective of developing a complement to transfusion therapy for emergency lifesaving.
AB - Regarding research on artificial blood, the "Field of Artificial Blood Development" was inaugurated in 1997, supported by the Ministry of Health and Welfare Grant-in-Aid for Health Science Research, for intensive research activities in the three sub-fields, i.e., artificial red blood cells, artificial platelets, and artificial antibodies. Developed by molecular assembling technology, artificial red blood cells, in the form of hemoglobin vesicles comprising hemoglobin encapsulated with a phospholipid bilayer as a highly efficient oxygen carrier, are now under investigation in laboratory animals to verify their function and safety. These vesicles are characterized by a particle size about 1/30 that of erythrocytes, preservability in a liquid state for 2 years at room temperature, and a sufficient retention time in circulating blood without evoking activation of platelet or complements. The hemoglobin vesicles have proven both to possess a high oxygen-carrying capacity in massive exchange transfusion studies in rodents, and to be remarkably safe, based on blood biochemical tests and pathologic findings in load-dosing and repeated-dose studies. Their noticeable safety against active oxygen has also been demonstrated. A joint industry, government, and university research project on artificial red blood cells is in progress with the present objective of developing a complement to transfusion therapy for emergency lifesaving.
KW - Artificial blood
KW - Artificial red blood cells
KW - Function and safety evaluation
KW - Hemoglobin vesicles
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=20444453698&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=20444453698&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:20444453698
VL - 48
SP - 135
EP - 139
JO - Asian Medical Journal
JF - Asian Medical Journal
SN - 1346-8650
IS - 3
ER -