The artificial blood is created by extracting hemoglobin — a protein containing iron that facilitates the transportation of oxygen in red blood cells — from expired donor blood. It is then encased in a protective shell to create stable, virus-free artificial red blood cells. As these artificial cells have no blood type, there is no need for compatibility testing. The synthetic blood can reportedly be stored for up to two years at room temperature and five years under refrigeration.
Slight correction: blood type is defined by different sugar complexes attached to the cell surface, not proteins, which only serve as anchoring in the cell wall for those sugars 🤓
But yeah, the anchoring proteins are missing too 😁