Method for culturing living cells

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1 characterised in that said culture fluid comprises cell-free lymph.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 1 or 2 characterised in that said culture fluid further comprises nutritional additives capable of passing through the semi-permeable membrane.

Claim 6

A method according to claim 1, 2 or 3 characterised in that the recovery of desired product from admixture with said cells comprises removing at least a portion of said cells and surrounding culture fluid from the one side of the semi-permeable membrane; passing said removed cells and culture fluid through a chamber containing a sorbent exhibiting specific affinity for the desired product, and returning at least a portion of the remaining cells and culture fluid to the side of the membrane from which they were removed.

Claim 7

A method according to claim 1, 2 or 3 characterised in the the recovery of desired product from admixture with said cells comprises including on the side of the semi-permeable membrane containing said cells, particles separable from said cells and exhibiting a specific affinity for the desired product; separating said particles from admixture with said cells; and removing the desired product from said particles.

Claim 9

A method according to claim 7 characterised in that said oxygen is provided to said cells by including on the side of the semi-permeable membrane on which said cells are confined, encapsulated oxygen bearing and releasing materials.

Claim 12

ll. Apparatus for culturing living cells producing a desired product characterised by: a) a semi-permeable membrane (17) for confining the cells adjacent to one side thereof; and b) means (12,13) for flowing a culture fluid across the other side of the semi-permeable membrane, the membrane being sized to permit components in the culture fluid to pass therethrough for contact with the cells, the culture fluid being flowed for a time sufficient for the cells to produce and release the desired product, the semi-permeable membrane being sized to retain the desired product on the one side of the membrane confining the cells to enable the desired product to be removed from admixture with the cells.

Claim 13

ll. Apparatus for culturing living cells producing a desired product characterised by: a) a semi-permeable membrane (17) for confining the cells adjacent to one side thereof; and b) means (12,13) for flowing a culture fluid across the other side of the semi-permeable membrane, the membrane being sized to permit components in the culture fluid to pass therethrough for contact with the cells, the culture fluid being flowed for a time sufficient for the cells to produce and release the desired product, the semi-permeable membrane being sized to retain the desired product on the one side of the membrane confining the cells to enable the desired product to be removed from admixture with the cells.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 11 characterised in that the means for flowing a culture fluid including lymph is adapted to flow cell-free lymph.

Claim 15

Apparatus according to claim 11 or 12, characterised by means for recovering the desired product from admixture with the cells including means for removing at least a portion of the cells and surrounding culture fluid from the one side of the semi-permeable membrane; means for separating cells from the culture fluid in the removed portion; means for returning at least a portion of the cells to the side of the membrane from which they were removed; means for treating the separated culture fluid to remove the desired product therefrom; and means for returning at least a portion of the remaining culture fluid to the side of the semi-permeable membrane containing the cells.

Claim 16

Apparatus according to claim 11, 12 or 13 characterised by means disposed adjacent the one side of the semi-permeable membrane on which the cells are confined for releasing oxygen to the cells.

Claim 17

Apparatus for culturing living cells producing a desired product characterised by: a) a hollow chamber having a peripheral portion (110) substantially in the form of a circle; b) means for pivotally mounting the chamber along the central axis thereof to enable the peripheral portion to rotate about the central axis; c) means in communication with the interior of the chamber for transferring substances to the cultured and culture fluid with respect to the interior of the chamber; d) at least one hollow tube (112) of elastic material having a substantially circular form extending throughout the circular interior of the chamber; and e) means for selectively inflating the hollow tube to change the diameter of the circular form of the tube within the chamber, thereby agitating the substances and culture fluid therein; and f) means for selectively rotating the chamber about the central axis, whereby the cells and the culture fluid can be subjected to agitation resulting from the centrifuge effect due to rotation of the chamber and the movement of the hollow tube in response to the change of diameter thereof by change of inflation.

Claim 18

Apparatus for culturing living cells producing a desired product characterised by: a) a hollow chamber having a peripheral portion (110) substantially in the form of a circle; b) means for pivotally mounting the chamber along the central axis thereof to enable the peripheral portion to rotate about the central axis; c) means in communication with the interior of the chamber for transferring substances to the cultured and culture fluid with respect to the interior of the chamber; d) at least one hollow tube (112) of elastic material having a substantially circular form extending throughout the circular interior of the chamber; and e) means for selectively inflating the hollow tube to change the diameter of the circular form of the tube within the chamber, thereby agitating the substances and culture fluid therein; and f) means for selectively rotating the chamber about the central axis, whereby the cells and the culture fluid can be subjected to agitation resulting from the centrifuge effect due to rotation of the chamber and the movement of the hollow tube in response to the change of diameter thereof by change of inflation.

Claim 19

Apparatus for culturing living cells in accordance with claim 15 and characterised by: a) a hollow ballast tube (113) of elastic material having a substantially circular form extending throughout the circular interior of the interior of the chamber; and b) means for controlling the inflation of the ballast tube to vary the diameter thereof and thereby the space within the interior of the chamber available for the substances and the culture fluid.