Blood transfusion Blood transfusion Blood transfusion is generally the process of receiving blood or blood products into one's circulation intravenously. Transfusions are used for various medical conditions to replace lost components of the blood. Early transfusions used whole blood, but modern medical practice commonly uses only components of the blood, such as red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, clotting factors, and platelets. Red blood cells contain hemoglobin and increase iron levels by improving the amount of oxygen found in the body. White blood cells, are not commonly used during transfusion but are related to the immune system and to fight infections.
Genetically engineered blood Genetically engineered blood Genetically engineered blood is blood that has been modified for therapeutic or other purposes. Genetically modifying red blood stem cells allows them to produce specific therapeutic proteins on the surface or inside the cell. The stem cells are taken from mammalian bone marrow and are modified in culture. Before they become mature, mammalian red blood cells eject their genetic material. Culturing cells that produce a new protein of interest requires only a few weeks. Using the sortagging protein labeling technique, the researchers used the bacterial enzyme sortase A to establish a strong chemical bond between the surface