英國的科學家們史無前例地計劃從胚胎干細胞中制造出大量人造血液。這些血液將用于緊急事故中的無感染輸血。人造血液的出現，將有助于營救那些在交通事故中的傷者或者在戰場上受傷的士兵們。

愛丁堡大學的Marc Turner教授將主導這項研究。除了英國以外，瑞典，法國，澳大利亞的科學家們也正努力做著相同的嘗試。

科學家希望通過刺激胚胎干細胞，使之發育成為成熟的，具有攜氧能力的紅細胞，來制造人造血液用于緊急輸血。這種人造血液的優點在于它不會被HIV病毒、肝炎病毒和瘋牛病毒等感染。對于軍隊而言，人造血可以滿足其對大量新鮮血液的需求。

然而，并非所有人都贊同從多余的體外受精胚胎中提取干細胞制造血液。這將勢必引起一場巨大的道德爭議。

British scientists to create 'synthetic' blood

23 March 2009

Scientists in Britain plan to become the first in the world to produce unlimited amounts of synthetic human blood from embryonic stem cells for emergency infection-free transfusions. It could help to save the lives of anyone from victims of traffic accidents to soldiers on a battlefield.

The project will be led by Professor Marc Turner, of Edinburgh University, the director of the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service.

Scientists in other countries, notably Sweden, France and Australia, are also known to be working on the development of synthetic blood from embryonic stem cells.

The aim is to stimulate embryonic stem cells to develop into mature, oxygen-carrying red blood cells for emergency transfusions. Such blood would have the benefit of not being at risk of being infected with viruses such as HIV and hepatitis, or the human form of "mad cow" disease. The military in particular needs a constant supply of fresh, universal donor blood for battlefield situations when normal supplies from donors can quickly run out.

But developing blood made from the cells of spare IVF embryos will raise difficult ethical issues for people not happy with the idea of destroying embryos to create stem cells.

（Source: The Independent，英國使館文化教育處提供）