Blood donation: here are synthetic alternatives to overcome the lack of reserve

Yasmina Kattou 6:08 a.m., June 14, 2022, modified at 6:08 a.m., June 14, 2022

Tuesday is World Blood Donor Day.

But between the lack of donations or the incompatibility of donors, blood transfusion depends on many factors.

In order to overcome all these obstacles, research has been trying for several years to find alternatives to blood donation so as never to run out of blood again.

At present, the French Blood Establishments have 80,000 blood bags in stock when 110,000 are needed. 

To replace human blood, one of the first avenues consists of manufacturing some of the elements present in blood.

The latter is made up of red and white blood cells, plasma, a protein-rich fluid and platelets.

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During transfusions, patients often receive only one of these components.

This solution thus proposes to produce cells in the laboratory, as explained by Patrick Morel, director of research at the French Blood Establishment: "We would start from human stem cells to develop them in culture, so that a large number of these cells can produce a large number of red blood cells, or produce platelets. In order to replace, at least partially, what blood donations bring to patients today".

Blood from a sea worm

Currently, a Breton company is already producing red blood cells from a sea worm.

A kind of blood that preserves organs before a transplant.

"When we disconnect a graft, a heart, a kidney, it will die very quickly because it is not oxygenated. So we have shown that when we use this molecule, instead of keeping a graft for a few hours, we can keep it for several days! This hemoglobin molecule is an incredible asset", explains Franck Zal, who made this discovery.

Research is continuing so that this blood from the sea can be transfused like human blood.