Replacing Cells - Biotechnology and Your Health: Pharmaceutical Applications - page 109

Figure 8.2 A developing blood clot is shown in this picture. A blood clot is
made of platelets, membrane fragments of a bone marrow cell, and a network
of insoluble proteins, particularly fibrin generated from a precursor protein,
fibrinogen, through the work of a cascade of protein clotting factors. Several
bleeding disorders result from inherited deficiencies in clotting proteins.
Despite all the advances in storing or distributing blood, pro-
viding life-saving red blood cell transfusions in disasters and on the
battlefield remains a challenge because facilities are not readily
available for cold storage of large quantities of red cells. Researchers
have worked for decades to come up with a red blood cell substitute,