Engineered Blood Clots Stop Severe Bleeding in Seconds

Rapid Hemostasis Technology

Researchers have developed a method to create engineered blood clots (EBCs) that can stop bleeding in seconds, significantly faster than the natural coagulation process. While natural blood clots are essential for regeneration and stopping blood loss, they are often mechanically fragile and slow to form, which can lead to life-threatening hemorrhages.

According to the research team, the current natural clotting process can take between one and five minutes in some situations. In contrast, the synthetic application works "almost instantaneously" to form a clot. In animal trials involving severe liver wounds in rats, the engineered treatment stopped bleeding in less than five seconds, compared to 265 seconds in untreated subjects.

The 'Click Clotting' Mechanism

The technique, described as "click clotting," involves rapidly crosslinking red blood cells into tough cytogels that integrate within blood clots. The researchers achieved this by separating the cellular components of the blood and adding chemicals that act as "handles". One side of these handles attaches to proteins on the surface of red blood cells, while the other side links with a long-chain molecule that binds the cells together.

Once modified, these cells are returned to the plasma and injected into the wound. This strategy is designed to overcome the limitations of natural clots, which the researchers attribute to complex coagulation cascades and a lack of structural polymers.

Mechanical Improvements

The resulting engineered blood clots exhibit significant mechanical advantages over native clots. Specifically, the EBCs show a 13-fold increase in fracture toughness and a 4-fold improvement in adhesion energy.

The research team noted that this approach is advantageous over previous methods that used chitosan to crosslink red blood cells. According to the team, chitosan-based methods often resulted in inconsistent clotting, hemolysis, or the creation of brittle clots.

Potential for Regeneration

Beyond the immediate cessation of bleeding, the technology may assist in the healing process. A researcher from McGill University stated that because the technology utilizes the body's own blood, it can help promote regeneration. He described the development as a "life-saving kind of technology" due to its ability to quickly stop bleeding while supporting the body's natural recovery mechanisms.