Patent ID: 7687468

Claim:
A method for rejuvenating red blood cells, the method comprising: providing red blood cells that have been stored in the absence of a ribose-related compound for at least 42 days to result in a decrease in the 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) level from the freshly drawn value; adding sufficient ribose-related compound to a suspension of said red blood cells so as to reach a concentration of 5 to 20 mM, wherein the ribose-related compound is selected from the group consisting of D-ribose, ribose-5-phosphate, ribulose-5-phosphate, ribulose, xylulose-5-phosphate, xylulose, xylose, and xylitol; and incubating the cells at 37° C. for 10 to 60 minutes wherein the DPG levels are increased to at least one-third of the freshly drawn value.