Abstract
Red blood cell (RBC) substitutes are a promising alternative to allogenic RBC transfusions that are currently undergoing extensive development. The toxicity and nonphysiologic performance of early generation RBC substitutes has resulted in the development of strategies that aim to produce safe and effective materials. Current development of RBC substitutes focus on two classes of materials: (1) hemoglobin (Hb)-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs) capable of binding oxygen and (2) emulsified perfluorocarbon (PFC) solutions capable of dissolving oxygen. To reduce the hypertension that results from Hb inhibition of nitric oxide signaling in the endothelium and improve overall performance of HBOCs, researchers have employed various strategies including chemical cross-linking, surface conjugation, encapsulation, and genetic engineering. Work has also been done to increase the solubility of oxygen in emulsified PFC solutions to match the oxygen delivering capacity of RBCs.
Published Version
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