Cell separation device and use of a flow formation for the cell separation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019032002-A1
Application number	US-201716077588-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 9, 2017
Priority date	Feb 12, 2016
Publication date	Jan 31, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A cell separation apparatus a container for reception of a cell suspension and a conduit connected to the container for the conveyance of cell suspension out of the container. The conduit extends along a notional conduit path passing centrally through the conduit, the conduit path defining in the conduit an axial direction proceeding along the conduit path, a radial direction orthogonal to the conduit path, and a circumferential direction proceeding around the conduit path. A segment of the conduit constitutes a turbulent flow segment including a flow configuration. The flow configuration includes at least two axial configuration segments located axially behind one another to accelerate a cell suspension.

First claim

1 . A cell separation apparatus, comprising:
a container for reception of a cell suspension; and a conduit connected to the container for the conveyance of cell suspension out of the container, the conduit extending along a notional conduit path passing centrally through the conduit, the conduit path defining in the conduit an axial direction proceeding along the conduit path, a radial direction orthogonal to the conduit path, and a circumferential direction proceeding around the conduit path, at least a segment of the conduit, constituting a turbulent flow segment, comprising a flow configuration that generates a turbulent cell suspension flow; wherein the flow configuration comprises at least two axial configuration segments located axially behind one another, one of which is embodied to accelerate a cell suspension, flowing through the conduit axially away from the container, in a circumferential direction in a first directional orientation, and the respective other of which is embodied to accelerate the cell suspension in a circumferential direction in a second directional orientation opposite to the first directional orientation.

2 . The cell separation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the flow configuration comprises a plurality of axial configuration segments located axially behind one another, of which each axial configuration segment axially succeeding another axial configuration segment is embodied to accelerate the cell suspension, flowing through the conduit in an axial direction away from the container, in a circumferential direction in a circumferential directional orientation which is directed oppositely from that in the axially immediately preceding axial configuration segment.

3 . The cell separation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the flow configuration comprises in at least two axial configuration segments, at least one respective directing surface that is inclined with respect to the conduit path in such a way that the normal vector of the directing surface has an axial component that points in an axial direction toward that longitudinal end of the conduit which is closer to the container, and has a circumferential component that points in a circumferential direction, the circumferential components of directing surfaces of axial configuration segments located axially behind one another pointing in opposite directions.

4 . The cell separation apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein at least one axial configuration segment of the flow configuration, respectively comprises at least two directing surfaces that are arranged in the same axial region of the conduit in a radial region between the conduit path and conduit wall but in different circumferential regions, the directing surfaces of an axial configuration segment, by rotation around the conduit path, into a respective other directing surface of the same axial configuration segment.

5 . The cell separation apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one directing surface is embodied helically.

6 . The cell separation apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the helical directing surface sweeps out along its axial extent at least an angle of 180° around the conduit path.

7 . The cell separation apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the axially inflow-side edge of a directing surface of one axial configuration segment is arranged with an offset in a circumferential direction with respect to the axially outflow-side edge of a directing surface of the immediately preceding axial configuration segment.

8 . The cell separation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the flow configuration is embodied on a configuration component separate from the conduit.

9 . The cell separation apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the configuration component is deformable.

10 . A method of separating cells in a cell suspension constituting a flowing fluid, comprising using a flow configuration to separate cells in the cell suspension constituting the flowing fluid, which flow configuration extends along a notional configuration path passing centrally through the flow configuration, the configuration path defining an axial direction proceeding along the configuration path, a radial direction orthogonal to the configuration path, and a circumferential direction proceeding around the configuration path, the flow configuration comprising at least two axial configuration segments, located axially behind one another, of which the one axial configuration segment is embodied to accelerate a flow of fluid, impinging axially on the axial configuration segment in a circumferential direction in a first directional orientation, and of which the respective other axial configuration segment is embodied to accelerate the fluid in a circumferential direction in a second directional orientation opposite to the first directional orientation.

11 . The cell separation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the flow configuration comprises in each axial configuration segment, at least one respective directing surface that is inclined with respect to the conduit path in such a way that the normal vector of the directing surface has an axial component that points in an axial direction toward that longitudinal end of the conduit which is closer to the container, and has a circumferential component that points in a circumferential direction, the circumferential components of directing surfaces of axial configuration segments located axially behind one another pointing in opposite directions.

12 . The cell separation apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein a plurality of axial configuration segments of the flow configuration respectively comprises at least two directing surfaces that are arranged in the same axial region of the conduit in a radial region between the conduit path and conduit wall but in different circumferential regions, the directing surfaces of an axial configuration segment, by rotation around the conduit path, into a respective other directing surface of the same axial configuration segment.

13 . The cell separation apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein each axial configuration segments of the flow configuration respectively comprises at least two directing surfaces that are arranged in the same axial region of the conduit in a radial region between the conduit path and conduit wall but in different circumferential regions, the directing surfaces of an axial configuration segment, by rotation around the conduit path, into a respective other directing surface of the same axial configuration segment.

14 . The cell separation apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein at least one axial configuration segment of the flow configuration, comprises at least two directing surfaces that are arranged in the same axial region of the conduit in a radial region between the conduit path and conduit wall but in different circumferential regions, the directing surfaces of an axial configuration segment being embodied symmetrically with respect to the conduit path in such a way that the one directing surface is transformable, by rotation around the conduit path, into a respective other directing surface of the same axial configuration segment.

15 . The cell separation apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the axially inflow-side edge of a directing surface of one axial configuration segment is arranged with a 90° or 180° offset, in a circumferential direction with respect to the axially outflow-side edge of a directing surface of the immediately preceding axial configuration segment.

16 . The cell separation apparatus according to claim

Assignees

• Hamilton Bonaduz Ag
• Fraunhofer Ges Forschung
• Fraunhofer Ges Forschung

Inventors

• Kissling Tom
• Grosch Jens
• Zumstein Thomas
• Traube Andrea
• Etzold Carsten
• Seiler Tobias

Classifications

• C12M47/04 Primary

  Cell isolation or sorting (purging biological preparations of unwanted cells C12N5/0081, determining the presence or kind of microorganism C12Q1/04) · CPC title