Processing artificial blood from ... deep sea

Romanian scientists have invented an artificial blood, which can be used in humans in the future without side effects.

New artificial blood types include water, salt and a protein called hemerythrin , extracted from deep sea. Researchers from Babeş-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, Romania hope it could help stop the shortage of blood supply for medicine and prevent infection during the blood donation process.

Dr. Radu Silaghi-Dumitrescu, the head of the study, added that their invention could even lead to the emergence of "emergency blood" , capable of transporting and turning into artificial blood when Add water.

New artificial blood tests on mice so far have yielded positive results.(Artwork: Corbis)

Until recently, efforts to create artificial blood all failed because the liquid could not withstand the mechanical and chemical pressures placed on it. According to Dr. Silaghi-Dumitrescu, unlike hemoglobin, hemerythrin remains stable when exposed to mechanical and chemical pressures.

Tests for new artificial blood on mice until now have yielded positive results. Experimental mice did not suffer any adverse effects.

The team is now hoping to conduct clinical trials of artificial blood in volunteers within the next 1-2 years.

According to Softpedia, the works of Romanian scientists were born based on the 2011 study of the University of Edinburgh (UK) and Bristol University (USA). The team, two years ago, created thousands of millions of red blood cells from bone marrow derived stem cells in the hope of creating O-blood cells. This "specialized" blood can transmit up to 98% of the world's population.

A safe supply of blood will also bring many benefits in developing countries, where thousands of people die from diseases such as postpartum hemorrhage.

The French promoted the early stages of human stem cell blood testing. Meanwhile, other researchers around the world are trying to make hemoglobin, the red blood cell protein used to transport oxygen throughout the body. The ideas that are pursuing include the use of hemoglobin extracted from cows as a substitute for blood.