Engineering tough blood clots for rapid haemostasis and enhanced regeneration

3 days ago

Engineered blood clots (EBCs) were created by crosslinking red blood cells into tough cytogels, integrating them within blood clots. This approach addresses the mechanical weakness and slow formation of natural clots.
EBCs form within seconds and show significantly improved properties: a 13-fold increase in fracture toughness and a 4-fold increase in adhesion energy compared to native blood clots.
The toughening mechanism involves the rupture of mechanically integrated cells, as identified through experiments and modelling.
In vivo studies demonstrate that EBCs rapidly stop hemorrhage, promote tissue regeneration, reduce inflammation and foreign body reactions, and prevent postoperative adhesions.
Both autologous and allogeneic EBCs were validated for safety and efficacy, showing broad applicability to various cells and polymers.
The strategy may advance the development of cellularized materials for bleeding control, wound management, tissue repair, and regenerative medicine.

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