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Artificial blood will help leukemia patients
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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A team of specialists at Murdoch University of Technology (Australia) has created artificial blood. Scientists have reported the successful completion of an experiment to grow blood cells from stem cells in laboratory conditions. This discovery gives hope that in the future all patients who need blood transfusions will be able to freely receive it.
Scientists have managed to create a type of cells that are completely identical to the precursors of blood cells (such cells are found in embryos). The unique technology of creating artificial blood lasts about 3 weeks, about the same as during the period of embryonic development. According to scientists, the success of their work also lies in gene analysis. Researchers were able to establish that there is a genetic difference between the blood obtained in the laboratory and the blood from umbilical cord cells, and it is this difference that allowed scientists to move forward in their research - they were able to make the cells grow in the right direction.
As a result of this large-scale work, it was possible to create blood cells that are completely suitable for transfusion in leukemia or if there are no matches for bone marrow transplantation. The unique technology can be used to create a wide variety of blood cell types.
It is worth noting that the creation of artificial blood, as well as artificial organs, causes a mixed reaction in society, especially among religious communities, which consider such research to be contrary to God's and natural laws.
Not long ago, a group of believers in England spoke out against testing laboratory-created blood on volunteers. According to them, such experiments contradict the laws of nature, and a person should not go beyond the established boundaries. The reason for the scandal was a study by English scientists who developed a technology for creating artificial blood and announced their intention to test it on people in 2017.
According to the researchers, the blood they created is not intended to replace real blood in the human body, but only helps the body cope with certain disorders when its own blood ceases to cope with the required functions. But despite this, believers continue to oppose such experiments.
Research into the creation of artificial human cells and organs has been going on for a long time. Among the many developments, the work of Stanford scientists stands out, who together with researchers from the Valencian Institute created artificial sperm from skin cells. According to scientists, adult cells can be programmed and stem cells similar to embryonic ones can be created.
A month after the scientists changed the genetic code of skin cells, they managed to obtain adult sex cells, but not capable of fertilization. According to the specialists, they intend to continue their work and in the future will be able to create full-fledged artificial sex cells. It is worth noting that in many countries genetic experiments are prohibited by law, but most researchers are confident that this work is the future of medicine and the opportunity to help infertile couples.
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