Japan: Scientists develop artificial blood for all blood types

W/S M.D Ph.D Manabu Kinoshita, Department Of Immunology and Microbiology Associate Professor at National Defense Medical College, looking at artificial blood before running it through a machine
W/S M.D Ph.D Manabu Kinoshita looking at artificial blood
W/S M.D Ph.D Manabu Kinoshita and his team working in laboratory
SOT, M.D Ph.D Manabu Kinoshita, Department Of Immunology and Microbiology Associate Professor at National Defense Medical College: "We have a lot of national disasters, [the] last [in] 2011, the great East Japan earthquake. We experienced difficulties of stocking blood concentrate then we develop[ed] artificial blood."
W/S M.D Ph.D Manabu Kinoshita and his team working in the laboratory
SOT, M.D Ph.D Manabu Kinoshita, Department Of Immunology and Microbiology Associate Professor at National Defense Medical College: "Usually platelete concentrates needs to have agitation and [should] keep storage temperature at 20-24C degrees and we have to use within several days. However our artificial platelete there's no need to agitate and can be stored at a room temperature and it can last for about almost one year."
W/S M.D Ph.D Manabu Kinoshita and his team working in the laboratory
W/S Running tests on the blood
C/U M.D Ph.D Manabu Kinoshita looking at the artificial blood
W/S Working in the laboratory
SOT, M.D Ph.D Manabu Kinoshita, Department Of Immunology and Microbiology Associate Professor at National Defense Medical College: "Red blood cells concentrate usually need blood typing but our artificial red blood cells [have] no need of blood typing and it's a big advantage for emergency or chaotic condition[s]."
C/U Artificial blood
W/S Facade of institute
SCRIPT
Japanese scientists say they have developed synthetic blood which can be used for any blood type and can help save lives in major emergencies. The researches behind the substance were seen at work at the National Defense Medical College in Saitama on Monday.
The substitute blood proved effective during a recent experiment on rabbits, with six out of 10 surviving lethal hemorrhaging from a liver injury - a number that is comparable to rabbits treated with real blood. There were no reported side effects, including blood clotting.
Menabu Kinoshita, the associate professor of immunology at the National Defense Medical College, and a member of the team, said that the fact that the artificial blood can be used universally across blood types "is a big advantage for emergency or chaotic condition[s]." It also increases the chances of survival for people in remote locations.
Storage of the substance is also easier than for real blood. "[With] our artificial platelete there's no need to agitate and can be stored at a room temperature and it can last for about almost one year," said Kinoshita.
The Waseda University and Nara Medical University worked alongside the National Defense Medical College to develop the substance.