Establishment of regularized cryopreserved red blood cell banks in blood collection and supply institutions

Blood resource shortages, characterized by regional imbalance, seasonal fluctuations, and expiration-related wastage, pose a critical challenge to China's public health system. Cryopreserved red blood cell (RBC) technology, with its ultra-long preservation period, transfusion efficacy, and safety, offers a strategic pathway to alleviate chronic blood shortages and optimize resource allocation. This article systematically reviews the technological evolution of RBC cryopreservation, clarifies its core advantages, and identifies bottlenecks and improvement strategies in large-scale application. The establishment of a regularized cryopreserved RBC bank holds multidimensional strategic value; however, its practical implementation requires resolving challenges such as thawing timeliness, standardization gaps, and insufficient grassroots equipment. Future advancements should prioritize glycerol-free washing-free cryopreservation technologies, post-thaw extended preservation additive formulations, and intelligent thawing equipment to overcome throughput and spatiotemporal constraints, thereby providing robust technical support for building a regularized cryopreserved RBC bank and enhancing the efficiency of China's blood security framework.