British scientists have transferred blood produced in the laboratory to humans for the first time as part of a clinical trial. It will be tested how the blood transferred in the amount of 15-20 ml will function in the body.

The purpose of the research is not to replace blood donation. The study aims to generate vital but very rare blood types.

Professor Ashley Toye, of the University of Bristol, says some blood types are very rare and "only occur in 10 people".

For example, of the Bombay blood group, which was first seen in India, there are only three units in England.

How Was Artificial Blood Produced?

This research project is progressing with teams of scientists in Bristol, Cambridge, London, focusing on red blood cells that carry oxygen from the lungs to the body.

First of all, approximately 470 ml of blood obtained by donation, stem cells that have the ability to turn into red blood cells are separated by magnetic beads. These fragmented stem cells are reproduced in the laboratory environment. And these are converted into red blood cells.

At the end of the three-week process, 50 billion red blood cells are obtained from the pool containing half a million stem cells. These, in turn, are filtered into up to 15 billion red blood cells that can be transplanted.

Professor Toye, who made a statement to the BBC, states that they are trying to create a production line in which the blood obtained by donation will be converted into the desired blood.

The first clinical trials were started on 10 healthy people. The blood produced within the scope of the experiment is monitored by marking them with a radioactive substance in the bodies of these individuals.

Under normal conditions, red blood cells in the body need to be renewed at the end of 120 days. Donated blood normally contains both old and new red blood cells. However, due to the freshness of the blood produced in the laboratory, it is estimated to have a lifespan of 120 full days.