Using Blood for more than Oxygen transportation.

[sargentlard]

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2003/29may_polymersomes.htm?list961667


A very interesting thing NASA is trying to do blood cells.

Imagine, for example, blood cells that could carry all kinds of things--medication as well as oxygen. Imagine blood that could be dehydrated, and stored for months or even years at a time. It could be carried by medics onto a battlefield--or by astronauts into outer space. Imagine blood that could be used for transfusions with no risk of AIDS or any other disease

Bioengineers Dan Hammer and Dennis Discher of the University of Pennsylvania and Frank Bates of the University of Minnesota have created a special kind of molecule--a polymer--that forms something very like a cell membrane, and they've been able to coax these membranes into artificial cells, or polymersomes, that are stronger and more easily manageable than the real thing.

polymersomes have one huge advantage: they can be controlled. By adding in different molecules, researchers are learning to manipulate their abilities and make them do things that biological cells just can't manage.

If they pull it off and make it successful and in about 10 years or so it could be put into practical use that would very beneficiel and advantagoeus in many many ways.

 

[ElectricFetus]

And I cures those that dare say that technology developed for space flight has no practice spin-off purpose here on earth!

 

[pilpaX]

Neat! But what when you don´nt need these cells anymore? How one can get rid from them? Or... they will remain in blood circulation forever?!

 

[spuriousmonkey]

Originally posted by WellCookedFetus
And I cures those that dare say that technology developed for space flight has no practice spin-off purpose here on earth!

it is probably more a matter of a cost benefit equation. Are these huge amounts of money pumped into 'space flight technology' really very effective?

 

[ElectricFetus]

Ok consider it this way which is better: pumping money into cold war military technology or astronautics?

 

[spuriousmonkey]

pumping money into pure research.

 

[ElectricFetus]

People don't give up their money unless there some kind of glories goal and so far defeating the enemy or going to the moon attracts a lot more attention then curing cancer. Its like hiting two birds with one stone its a good deal.