Abstract

ARTIFICIAL BLOOD: A LIFE SAVING TOOL

Manisha D. Bhadange*, Amruta Y. Joshi, A. B. Darekar, R B. Saudagar

ABSTRACT

Artificial blood is a product made to act as a substitute for red blood cells. While true blood serves many different functions, artificial blood is designed for the sole purpose of transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide throughout the body. Depending on the type of artificial blood, it can be produced in different ways using synthetic production, chemical isolation, or recombinant biochemical technology. Artificial blood is supposed to fulfil some functions of biological blood, especially in humans. The initial goal of oxygen carrying blood substitutes mimics blood’s oxygen transport capacity. The artificial blood serves to be a good tool for the survival of patients at the time of surgery owing to high blood losses. Therefore the use of PFC solution as a blood substitute can be used to maintain the circulating blood volume as well as the need of the patients. Many people die from superficial wounds when they are trapped in an accident or are injured in the battlefield and can’t get blood before they get to hospital." New generations of modified haemoglobin are being prepared to modulate the effects of nitric oxide and oxygen radicals, and artificial red blood cells are also under development. The artificial blood is made from a plastic, it is light to carry and easy to store. Scientists from the University of Sheffield are developing an artificial `plastic blood´, which could act as a substitute for real blood in emergency situations. Transport of oxygen as soluble gas in plasma is radically different from hemoglobin-based oxygen transport.

Keywords: Human Blood, oxygen therapeutics, Haemoglobin, Plastic blood.