Ucsb Scientists Create Synthetic Blood Cells

12.28.09 | FL News Team

Scientists at the University of California, Santa Barbara and the University of Michigan say they've created synthetic blood cells. A UC Santa Barbara press release says they used hemoglobin and other proteins to create cells that are the same size and have the same flexibility as natural blood cells and carry as much oxygen. The synthetic red blood cells can also deliver therapeutic drugs with a controlled release. The UCSB team leader, chemical engineering professor Samir Mitragotri, says that this, quote, "really opens up a whole new realm of possibilities in drug delivery and similar applications." The study has been published in the online edition of the "Proceedings of the National Academy of Science."