Air gap for supporting cells

• US 8,821,431 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2008
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beta Cell Technologies Pty., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Beta Cell Technologies Pty., Ltd.
• Inventors: Stern, Yaki, Rozy, Yoram
• Primary Examiner(s): Isabella, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sharma, Yashita
• Application Number:
  US12/676,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20100312165A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,186 Days
• Field of Search: 604/6.14, 604/6.16, 604/19, 604/23, 604/93.01, 604/175, 60428801-28804, 604500-502, 6048901-8911, 424 931- 937, 424/195.17, 424422-425, 435/41, 435/69.4, 435/289.1, 435/292.1, 4352931-2932, 21032175-32187, 210/323.1, 210/649
• US Class Current: 604/19
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/022 Artificial gland structures using bioreactors hemodialysis A61M1/16; hemofiltration A61M1/34; other extracorporeal blood treatment A61M1/36
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/02 Photobioreactors culturing algae A01G33/00, A01H4/001, C12N1/12
• 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 23/24 Gas permeable parts
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 25/06 Plates; Walls; Drawers; Multilayer plates
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 31/10 by light emitting elements located inside the reactor, e.g. LED or OLED

Abstract

Apparatus is provided including a housing, configured for insertion into a body of a subject, one or more oxygen reservoirs disposed within the housing, at least one layer of functional cells, disposed within the housing, and gaseous oxygen disposed within the one or more oxygen reservoirs. The apparatus is arranged to permit passage of the gaseous oxygen from the one or more oxygen reservoirs to the functional cells. The one or more oxygen reservoirs define first and second air gaps, the first air gap is configured to receive oxygen in a first concentration, and the second air gap is disposed adjacent to the layer of functional cells and stores the oxygen in a second concentration that is lower than the first concentration. Other applications are also described.

Claims

1. Apparatus, comprising:

a housing, configured for insertion into a body of a subject;

one or more oxygen reservoirs disposed within the housing;

at least one layer of functional cells, disposed within the housing; and

gaseous oxygen disposed within the one or more oxygen reservoirs, the apparatus arranged to permit passage of the gaseous oxygen from the one or more oxygen reservoirs to the functional cells,

wherein;

the one or more oxygen reservoirs define first and second air gaps,

the first air gap is configured to receive gaseous oxygen in a first concentration, and

the second air gap is disposed adjacent to the layer of functional cells and stores the gaseous oxygen in a second concentration that is lower than the first concentration.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the functional cells comprise pancreatic islet cells.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a semi-permeable membrane having associated therewith a molecular weight cutoff, the membrane being disposed with respect to the functional cells so as to protect the functional cells from components of a body fluid of the subject having molecular weights higher than the cutoff.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the membrane comprises a gas-permeable membrane.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising one or more photosynthetic oxygen supplies disposed within the housing, wherein each photosynthetic oxygen supply comprises:

a light source; and

at least one first layer of algae, positioned to receive light from the light source.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one layer of functional cells comprises a first and a second layer of functional cells, and wherein the first and second layers of functional cells are in communication with the gaseous oxygen.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a channel in communication with the one or more oxygen reservoirs, the channel configured to collect a portion of the gaseous oxygen from the one or more oxygen reservoirs and to transport the gaseous oxygen to the functional cells.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to permit passage of the gaseous oxygen between the one or more oxygen reservoirs and a vicinity in the body of the subject that is external to the housing.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the second air gap defines an upper second air gap and a lower second air gap, wherein the upper second air gap is disposed between the first air gap and the first layer of functional cells, and wherein the lower second air gap is disposed between the first air gap the second layer of functional cells.