Methods and compositions for an artificial lung organ culture system
First Claim
1. An artificial lung system comprising an endothelial cell layer, an alveolar epithelial cell layer and an artificial microporous membrane, having pores therein, disposed between and in direct contact with the endothelial cell layer and the alveolar epithelial cell layer such that the membrane has an endothelial side and an epithelial side.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides an artificial organ system comprising an endothelial cell layer, an epithelial cell layer and an artificial microporous membrane, having pores therein, disposed between and in direct contact with the endothelial cell layer and the epithelial cell layer such that the membrane has an endothelial side and an epithelial side. The present invention also provides an artificial organ system contained in a vessel comprising an upper chamber into which the epithelial side faces and containing the epithelial cell layer, and a lower chamber into which the endothelial side faces and containing the endothelial cells. The present invention also provides an artificial lung system comprising an endothelial cell layer, an alveolar epithelial cell layer and an artificial microporous membrane, having pores therein, disposed between and in direct contact with the endothelial cell layer and the alveolar epithelial cell layer such that the membrane has an endothelial side and an epithelial side. A method is also provided for constructing an artificial lung system, comprising placing an artificial microporous membrane, having pores therein, into a vessel having a bottom and supporting the membrane a distance from the bottom of the vessel to create an upper and lower chamber in the vessel such that the membrane has an endothelial side facing into the lower chamber of the vessel and an opposite epithelial side facing into the upper chamber of the vessel; placing endothelial cells into the upper chamber of the vessel under conditions such that the endothelial cells form a confluent layer of cells on the epithelial side of the membrane; and placing alveolar epithelial cells into the upper chamber of the vessel under conditions such that the endothelial cells migrate through the pores in the membrane and attach to the endothelial side of the membrane to form a confluent layer of the endothelial cells on the endothelial side of the membrane in the lower chamber and the alveolar epithelial cells form a confluent layer of the epithelial cells on the epithelial side of the membrane in the upper chamber.
-
Citations
24 Claims
- 1. An artificial lung system comprising an endothelial cell layer, an alveolar epithelial cell layer and an artificial microporous membrane, having pores therein, disposed between and in direct contact with the endothelial cell layer and the alveolar epithelial cell layer such that the membrane has an endothelial side and an epithelial side.
-
14. A method of constructing an artificial lung system, comprising:
-
(a) placing endothelial cells into a vessel under cell culture conditions such that the endothelial cells form a confluent layer of cells on the epithelial side of an artificial porous membrane contained within the vessel, wherein the vessel has a bottom and the membrane, having pores therein, is supported a distance from the bottom of the vessel to create an upper chamber and a lower chamber such that the membrane has an endothelial side facing into the lower chamber of the vessel and an opposite epithelial side facing into the upper chamber of the vessel and wherein the endothelial cells are placed into the upper chamber of the vessel; and (b) placing alveolar epithelial cells into the upper chamber of the vessel under cell culture conditions such that the endothelial cells migrate through the pores in the membrane and attach to the endothelial side of the membrane to form a confluent layer of the endothelial cells on the endothelial side of the membrane in the lower chamber and the alveolar epithelial cells form a confluent layer of the alveolar epithelial cells on the epithelial side of the membrane in the upper chamber. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
Specification