Chapter 17 - Artificial red blood cells

Abstract

To overcome transfusion-associated problems, the development of artificial red blood cells aims to provide an unlimited source of O2 supply/CO2 disposal as ready-to-use with any blood type. Due to their easy-to-modify nature and unique properties artificial red blood cells can accomplish more than mere O2 delivery (e.g., drug transport, diagnostics, treatment of lung diseases). Meanwhile, three subclasses of such artificial red blood cells with regard to (1) hemoglobin-base, (2) perfluorocarbon-base, and (3) stem cell-base emerged. Research led to promising products, which have been already successfully utilized in clinical trials (Oxycyte, Hemopure, Sanguinate, Hemo2life), are readily available under compassionate use (Hemopure, Sanguinate), or are already approved (Perftoran, Hemopure) in selected countries. It was only in the 1990s that researchers started exploiting stem cells and so far hematopoietic, embryonic, induced pluripotent, and mesenchymal stem cells have been investigated for artificial red blood cell generation.