Nanomaterial-related hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers, with emphasis on liposome and nano-capsules, for biomedical applications: current status and future perspectives

Oxygen is necessary for life and plays a key pivotal in maintaining normal physiological functions and treat of diseases. Hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs) have been studied and developed as a replacement for red blood cells (RBCs) in oxygen transport due to their similar oxygen-carrying capacities. However, applications of HBOCs are hindered by vasoactivity, oxidative toxicity, and a relatively short circulatory half-life. With advancements in nanotechnology, Hb encapsulation, absorption, bioconjugation, entrapment, and attachment to nanomaterials have been used to prepare nanomaterial-related HBOCs to address these challenges and pend their application in several biomedical and therapeutic contexts. This review focuses on the progress of this class of nanomaterial-related HBOCs in the fields of hemorrhagic shock, ischemic stroke, cancer, and wound healing, and speculates on future research directions. The advancements in nanomaterial-related HBOCs are expected to lead significant breakthroughs in blood substitutes, enabling their widespread use in the treatment of clinical diseases.