Having access to artificial blood may be closer to reality, thanks to a recent break-through. Researchers in Transylvania, who have been experimenting on mice for the past six years, have finally found a concoction that transfers oxygen to the organs like real blood without negative side effects. In other worlds, artificial blood that could potentially function as real blood.

(Side note: what a better place than Transylvania to create blood.)

Trying to create a temporary substitute for blood has been the impossible dream for many scientists. Typical experiments for a blood substitute always relied on hemoglobin, the red proteins that carry the oxygen rich blood to the organs. Researcher Dr. Radu Silaghi-Dumitrescu and his team decided to go a different direction. While hemoglobin is the common transporter in most living organisms, they decided to try hemerythrin a protein that carries oxygen in the blood of marine invertebrates. They believe their tests were successful because the hemerythrin is more robust and able to withstand the stress of being introduced into a new organic life form, whereas hemoglobin cannot.

The group hopes to start human trials with in the next few years. Their artificial blood is not expected to replace blood supplies completely but can be used as a temporary solution for those in need. He hopes it can also help to reduce infection rates during blood donation. Dr. Silaghi-Dumitrescu acknowledges they are not the first to come up with a working blood replacement serum, but theirs is the first to have no negative side effects.

If approved, one day we could have “instant-blood” on the streets where you have a tube of the hemerythin and all you have to do is add water.

[via Mashable, via Medical Daily]