Air gap for supporting cells

• US 9,463,083 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2014
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beta-O2 Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Beta-O2 Technologies Ltd.
• Inventors: Stern, Yaki, Rozy, Yoram
• Primary Examiner(s): Sharma, Yashita
• Application Number:
  US14/473,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20140371666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 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: 1/1
• 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; at least one oxygen reservoir disposed within the housing; and at least one layer of transplanted cells, disposed within the housing; and gaseous oxygen disposed within the at least one oxygen reservoir. Other embodiments are also described.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

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

at least one oxygen reservoir disposed within the housing;

at least two layers of transplanted cells disposed within the housing;

at least one air gap disposed between each layer of the at least two layers of transplanted cells and the oxygen reservoir; and

gaseous oxygen disposed within the at least one oxygen reservoir,

the apparatus arranged to permit passage of the gaseous oxygen from the at least one oxygen reservoir to the transplanted cells.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the transplanted cells comprise functional cells.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the functional cells comprise pancreatic islet of Langerhans cells.

4. The apparatus of 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 transplanted cells so as to protect the transplanted cells from components of a body fluid of the subject having molecular weights higher than the cutoff.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the membrane comprises gas-permeable membrane.

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

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is configured to permit passage of the gaseous oxygen between the at least one oxygen reservoir and a vicinity in the body of the subject that is external to the housing.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an oxygen generator.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the at least one layer of transplanted cells comprises a metal grid which houses a substrate to which the transplanted cells adhere.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the substrate to which the cells adhere is selected from one of a liquid or a gel.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the liquid or the gel is selected from the group consisting of alginate, agarose, or polytheylene glycol.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the at least one layer of transplanted cells are shaped to provide a three-dimensional biodegradable matrix upon which the transplanted cells are dispersed.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the at least one layer of transplanted cells are shaped to provide a three-dimensional non-biodegradable fibrillar matrix upon which the transplanted cells are dispersed.