Dual fiber bioreactor

• US 5,712,154 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 01/27/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CB Biomedical, Inc. (Arbios Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: W.R. Grace & Co.-Conn. (WR Grace & Company)
• Inventors: Tosone, Christine Marie, Gagnon, Kerry Ann, Jauregui, Hugo Osyaldo, Mullon, Claudy Jean Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Rollins, John W.
• Application Number:
  US08/488,185
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 435/283.1, 435/289.1, 435/290.1, 435/296.1, 435/297.4
• US Class Current: 435/297.4
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3475 with filtrate treatment agent in the same enclosure as the membrane
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3489 by biological cells, e.g. bioreactor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3679 by absorption A61M1/3675 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/08 for producing artificial tissue or for ex-vivo cultivation of tissue prostheses A61F2/00, grafts A61L27/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 25/10 Hollow fibers or tubes hollow fiber modules in general B01D63/02
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 29/10 Perfusion
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 29/16 Hollow fibers hollow fiber modules in general B01D63/02

Abstract

A cell culture unit is disclosed herewith comprising a shell having two ends with an elongated chamber them between. A liquid and a gas perfusion port are located on each end. Liquid perfusion fibers are connected to the liquid perfusion ports and gas perfusion fibers are connected to the gas perfusion ports. These fibers thereby define an extracapillary and intracapillary space. The cell culture unit further comprises means for communicating with the intracapillary space of the gas perfusion fibers, means for communicating with the intracapillary space of the liquid perfusion fibers, and means for communicating with the extracapillary space.

Claims

1. A cell culture unit comprising:

a. a shell having two ends and defining an elongated chamber there between;

b. a liquid and a gas perfusion port located on each of said end;

c. liquid perfusion fibers connected to said liquid perfusion ports and gas perfusion fibers

connected to said gas perfusion ports;

said fibers defining extracapillary and intracapillary space;

d. means communicating with the intracapillary space of said gas perfusion fibers;

e. means communicating with the intracapillary space of said liquid perfusion fibers; and

f. means communicating with said extracapillary space.

2. The cell culture unit of claim 1, wherein each end comprises a gas and liquid perfusion port.

3. The cell culture unit of claim 2, wherein the ends bifurcate into a Y configuration thereby separating liquid from gas perfusion fibers.

4. The cell culture unit of claim 2, wherein the liquid and gas ports are perpendicular to one another so that the liquid fibers surround the gas fibers.

5. The cell culture unit of claim 2, wherein each end portion comprises two chambers one for liquid perfusion and the other for gas perfusion.

6. The cell culture unit of claim 5, wherein the the chambers are separated by a ring.

7. The cell culture unit of claim 1, wherein the means communicating with said extracapillary space comprise one or more inoculation ports located on said shell.

8. The cell culture unit of claim 1, wherein the gas is oxygen.

9. The cell culture unit of claim 8, wherein the liquid is blood.

10. The cell culture unit of claim 1, wherein the shell is manufactured of glass or a polymeric material.

11. The cell culture unit of claim 10, wherein the shell is manufactured of polycarbonate.

12. The cell culture unit of claim 1, wherein the gas perfusion fibers are manufactured from polyethylene, polypropylene, silicone.

13. The cell culture unit of claim 1, wherein the liquid perfusion fibers are manufactured from polysulfone, cellulose, polypropylene.

14. A cell culture unit comprising:

a. two bifurcating shells, each shell having two ends and defining an elongated chamber therebetween;

b. a liquid perfusion port located at each end of one shell and a gas perfusion port located at each end of said second shell;

c. liquid perfusion fibers connected to said liquid perfusion ports and gas perfusion fibers connected to said gas perfusion ports;

said fibers defining extracapillary and intracapillary space;

d. means communicating with the intracapillary space of said gas perfusion fibers;

e. means communicating with the intracapillary space of said liquid perfusion fibers;

means communicating with said extracapillary space.

15. The method described in claim 14, wherein the cells to be seeded are hepatocytes.