Systems, methods and devices relating to a cellularized nephron unit

• US 7,985,336 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2010
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Incorporated
• Inventors: Borenstein, Jeffrey T., Weinberg, Eli
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, SUN U
• Application Number:
  US12/851,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20110024346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 355 Days
• Field of Search: 210/321.6, 210/483, 210/490, 210/500.21, 210/504, 210/506, 435/174, 435/176, 435/177, 435/180, 435/289.1, 435/297.1
• US Class Current: 210/321.6
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3687 Chemical treatment A61M1/3675 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3689 by biological cells
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/086 Meandering flow path over the membrane
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2319/022 Reject series
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/087 Single membrane modules
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/088 Microfluidic devices comprising semi-permeable flat membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing

Abstract

The present invention relates to bioartificial devices and systems that mimic kidney or nephron function and methods of making them.

Claims

1. A device replicating kidney function comprising:

a microfabricated blood flow layer having a first microfluidic channel formed therein for carrying blood, the first microfluidic channel including a loop, and wherein portions of the loop in the first microfluidic channel are separated by a porous medium;

a microfabricated filtrate layer having a second microfluidic channel formed therein for carrying a filtrate flow, the second microfluidic channel including a loop; and

a permeable membrane positioned between the blood flow layer and the filtrate layer coupling the blood flow layer to the filtrate layer.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the microfabricated blood flow layer substantially overlaps with the microfabricated filtrate layer, allowing analytes in the blood in the microfabricated blood flow layer to filter through the permeable membrane into the filtrate flow in the microfabricated filtrate layer.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the second microfluidic channel is generally u-shaped.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the microfabricated blood flow layer comprises a blood inlet.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the microfabricated filtrate layer comprises a filtrate inlet.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the first microfluidic channel includes an ascending limb and a descending limb.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the second microfluidic channel includes an ascending limb and a descending limb.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the porous medium is deposited between at least a portion of the ascending limb and the descending limb of the first microfluidic channel.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the porous medium comprises a wall having a plurality of passageways coupling the first microfluidic channel to the second microfluidic channel, formed therein for allowing fluid flow between the portions of the loop separated by the wall.

10. The device of claim 1, comprising a collecting duct, wherein the collecting duct comprises:

a collecting duct blood flow layer, which includes the portion of the first microfluidic channel that forms a loop;

a collecting duct filtrate layer, which includes a portion of the second microfluidic channel; and

a second porous membrane positioned between the collecting duct blood flow layer and the collecting duct filtrate layer.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the microfabricated blood flow layer comprises the collecting duct blood flow layer.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the collecting duct filtrate layer comprises a filtrate outlet.

13. The device of claim 1 comprising a distal tubule, wherein the distal tubule comprises:

a distal tubule blood flow layer, which includes a portion of the first microfluidic channel;

a distal tubule filtrate layer, which includes a portion of the second microfluidic channel; and

a third porous membrane positioned between the distal tubule blood flow layer and the distal tubule filtrate layer.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the microfabricated blood flow layer comprises the distal tubule blood flow layer.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the microfabricated filtrate layer comprises the distal tubule filtrate layer.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the first microfluidic channel in the distal tubule blood flow layer is a generally serpentine microchannel and the second microfluidic channel in the distal tubule filtrate layer is a generally serpentine microchannel.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the distal tubule provides for diffusion of water from the second microfluidic channel in the distal tubule filtrate layer across the third porous membrane into the first microfluidic channel in the distal tubule blood flow layer.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein a distal end of the second microfluidic channel in the distal tubule filtrate layer couples to a collecting duct.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein a distal end of the first microfluidic channel in the distal tubule blood flow layer comprises a blood outlet.

20. The device of claim 1, comprising a second microfabricated blood flow layer and a second microfabricated filtrate layer substantially similar to the microfabricated blood flow layer and the microfabricated filtrate layer.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the second microfabricated blood flow layer and the second microfabricated filtrate layer are coupled to the microfabricated blood flow layer and the microfabricated filtrate layer.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the second microfabricated blood flow layer and the second microfabricated filtrate layer are coupled to the microfabricated blood flow layer and the microfabricated filtrate layer via one or more vertical links formed in one of the blood flow layer and the filtrate layer.