Researchers construct long-circulating synthetic RBCs with hybrid materials
Versatile red blood cells (RBCs) play a pivotal role in living bodies – from transporting necessary gases in and out of the body to their structural ability to move through even the tiniest of capillaries, RBCs have a host of favourable properties that are hard to replicate. Yet, an international team of researchers have created synthetic rebuilt red blood cells (RRBCs) that mimic the real thing. These new cells can easily work to carry oxygen or drugs through the body, sense toxins, or allow outside manipulation, among others.
Researchers from the American University of New Mexico, Sandia National Laboratories and South China University of Technology used native or donated human RBCs to start their design. These donated human RBCs were first covered with a thin layer of silica, followed by layers of polymers with differing charges. The silica was then etched away, and finally the surface was coated in natural RBC membranes.
The final structure of the RRBCs is similar in size, shape, charge and surface proteins as native RBCs. These RRBCs are able to deform enough to squeeze through tiny gaps in model capillaries, retained considerable oxygen-carrying capacity, and remained in circulation for over 48 hours. Thankfully, the researchers detected no toxic side effects from prolonged use of the RRBCs.
The synthetic RBCs were designed to perform better than native RBCs: they could successfully be loaded with different cargoes of haemoglobin, anticancer drugs, toxin biosensors, and magnetic nanoparticles. Each of these could represent a different potential use for the cells – transporting oxygen, delivering therapeutic drugs, sensing and detecting toxins, and allowing for outside manipulation, respectively.
Taken together, the RRBCs have a broad range of potential applications which can be further worked on, for the greater good.
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