The Nation : Artificial Blood Cell Tested

Artificial blood cells made of hemoglobin encased in fat successfully substituted for the real thing in animal tests and may be used one day in human transfusions, researchers reported at the University of California, San Francisco. They said the substitute cells can be stored longer than whole blood, could be given to patients of any blood type and could also be used in veterinary surgery. However, the new product would not be a total substitute for red blood cells, since it duplicates only red cells’ oxygen-carrying capability. Real red cells also remove carbon dioxide from the body.