Zainab AsifScientists from the University of Bristol have finally found a way to ensure that people will not die because of blood shortage. They have been able to develop a method of producing red blood cells by using immortal stem cells. Once the artificial RBC produced in this method clears clinical trials, it will be very useful for patients with rare blood types.
At present artificial red blood cells are produced from donor blood and the method isn’t very efficient because very limited quantities of RBC can be produced. The new method though costly will be a more efficient and sustainable way to produce RBC.
Dr Jan Frayne, from the University of Bristol, said, ‘Previous approaches to producing red blood cells have relied on various sources of stem cells which can only presently produce very limited quantities. By taking an alternative approach we have generated the first human immortalized adult erythroid line (Bristol Erythroid Line Adult or BEL-A), and in doing so, have demonstrated a feasible way to sustainably manufacture red cells for clinical use from in vitro culture.’
The researchers working on the project created a line of immortal cells by stopping the aging process of stem cells at the early stages of development. During this stage, stem cells divide frequently leading to the production of unlimited number of cells. Typically mature stem cells can only produce 50,000 RBCs before they die, which makes producing blood cells from them a wasteful and repetitive process requiring multiple donations.
Researchers have been working on an alternative to donated blood for a long time because blood shortage causes hundreds of deaths around the world every year. The most to suffer are people with rare blood types, who find it hard to get donors with same blood types. The immortal stem cells have opened up a new way that could really revolutionize the medical field. Aside from people with rare blood groups, patients with serious conditions like thalassemia and sickle cell disease who need blood transfusions regularly will benefit immensely from this method. Another benefit will be the reduction of disease transmission through transfusions.
Though the method has been discovered, it will still be many years before the method can be practically applied because the researchers are yet to come up with a way to adapt the method for large scale manufacture.
Mohith Agadi
Editorial Staff
