The scientists who conducted the study will keep the blood in the industrial scale that can prevent blood shortages in hospitals and save thousands of lives during a war or an accident.
Artificial blood from stem cells will be free of infection so that it can be given to almost anyone regardless of any type of blood type, and can be given during heart transplant surgery, bypass surgery or for cancer patients.
Initially researchers from Edinburgh and Bristol University made millions of red blood cells from stem cells taken from bone marrow. However, the resulting blood can not be sufficient for blood transfusion.
To that end researchers create artificial blood by using cells taken from human embryos in the first days of life because it is more easily bred in large numbers.
Professor Marc Turner of Edinburgh University hopes to create a supply of cells with blood type O-negative. This is because blood type is a 'universal donor' which could be nearly 90 percent of the population.
This artificial blood will be injected first into the body healthy volunteers followed by large-scale testing to see the effect further. Stem cells used in this study come from the rest of IVF treatment and some are donated.
"These cells are obtained is still treated with respect and appropriate for scientific reasons, so it does not violate existing regulations," said Prof. Turner, as quoted from Dailymail, Friday (28/10/2011).
Various studies have also been conducted by researchers from various countries such as making hemoglobin (red blood cell protein that is used for transporting oxygen throughout the body). This study uses hemoglobin taken from a cow as a blood substitute.
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