Pigs producing hemoglobin

1991/11/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Bioteknologia
• Medikuntza

Although artificial blood was just a dream, important steps have been taken in recent years. According to a recent discovery, American scientists have created pigs that produce human hemoglobin.

Of the three types of animals that have genetically manipulated, pigs have been the ones that most resemble human blood. They have made the human hemoglobin in their blood between 10% and 20%. This hemoglobin can be extracted from the animal and be effective in human blood by chemical cultivation and pasteurization.

The advantages of this system can be the replacement of red blood cells in transfusions, prolonged storage, compatibility with all types of blood and the avoidance of virus transmissions in ordinary blood transfusions.

As this technique is quite advanced, in late 1992 or early 1993 it can be started to apply in people.