Summary
Professor Teruyuki Komatsu of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Chuo University, and his research team have successfully developed artificial blood for cats. The team first synthesized recombinant feline serum albumin (rFSA), and determined its structure using X-ray crystallography. Next they synthesized a hemoglobin wrapped covalently with rFSA, hemoglobin-albumin cluster (Hb-rFSA3), and proved that these clusters can be an O2 carrier for cats, a substitute for feline red blood cells. The artificial O2 carrier will become available as artificial blood for cats, relieving the need for blood transfusions. In this research, JAXA was in charge of protein crystal growth experiments onboard the ISS Japanese Experiment Module "Kibo", and structural analysis.
This invention is a tremendous innovation that could solve the shortage of transfusable blood facing animal health care professionals.
The results of this research have been reported in Journal of Materials Chemistry B of the Royal Society of Chemistry and cited as a front cover image.
Core?shell protein clusters comprising haemoglobin and recombinant feline serum albumin as an artificial O2 carrier for cats
Three-dimensional structure of recombinant ferine serum albumin clarified through X-ray crystal structure analysis (collaboration between Chuo University and JAXA).(PDBID: 5YXE)
HemoAct-F™ has the structure that recombinant feline serum albumin encloses hemoglobin purified from bovine red blood cells. It is expected that HemoAct-F™ achieves a revolution in transfusion treatment in feline.