New Technique Of Massive Red Blood Cell Production Was Developed; Safety Trial Is Set Late Of 2017

The researchers developed a biological measure of massive red blood cells (RBCs) production, but they still lack a manufacturing technology. The process is like the difference between brewing beer at home and in a large-scale company.

According to BBC, a team from the University of Bristol and NHS Blood and Transplant introduced a new medical help. They developed a technique on how to generate an unlimited stock of red blood cells. This artificial blood component is expected to be more expensive than the traditional donation, but it’s a great help for patients with rare blood types.

The old method of producing red blood cells is capturing a type of stem cell from a person. Unfortunately, the technique possibly burns out every single cell producing only up to 50,000 of the blood component.

The new technique developed by the Bristol team involved the trapping of the immature stem cells where they multiply endlessly known as immortal creation. According to the study published in Nature Communications, the researchers simply stimulate the collected cells to become red blood cells.

"We have demonstrated a feasible way to sustainably manufacture red blood cells for clinical use. We've grown liters of it," Dr. Jan Frayne, one of the researchers said.

A single pack of blood contains about trillion of red blood cells. The procedure involves bioengineering job since producing that amount is a challenging one, Professor David Anstee, another researcher told BBC. The following stage of our work is to develop methods of broadening the production, he added.

The cost would be a great hindrance to the widely use of manufactured red blood cells. However, NHS Blood and Transplant assured it has no plans of shifting from the traditionally donated blood.

"The first therapeutic use of a cultured red cell product is likely to be for patients with rare blood groups because suitable conventional red blood cell donations can be difficult to source" Professor Anstee added. The laboratory produced blood is set for safety trials late of 2017.