Abstract: High-quality donor organs is of significance for the success of organ transplantation. However, standard donors fail to meet the requirements of kidney transplantation due to the increasing quantity of patients with kidney failure. Marginal donor kidneys have been widely applied in clinical practice, which also poses challenges to the existing preservation methods of donor kidneys. Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is one of the critical factors affecting the early graft function after kidney transplantation. In addition, it exerts harmful effect upon the long-term survival of the graft. Current studies have demonstrated that hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier (HBOC) may reduce the IRI during kidney transplantation, effectively improve the preservation quality and prolong the preservation time of donor kidney. In this article, the research progress on HBOC in kidney transplantation was reviewed, aiming to provide reference for modifying the preservation method of donor kidney, improve the quality of donor kidney and enhance clinical prognosis of the recipients.