Gore Enterprise Holdings, Inc.

Brian H Kram

Stanley L Mish

Christine Tse

James R Bain

Terry A Hubbard

Steven C Newman

Michael J Muehlbauer

Timothy J Keller

Chad A Wilkinson

Donald M Barnett

Kevin D Marshall

Austin M Ashby

Randy Stephens

A method is provided for closing a containment device that involves wetting at least a portion of a permeable polymeric membrane such as tubular membrane with a liquid such as a cell suspension or drug formulation the device is being filled with, and applying heat to at least a portion of a wetted thermoplastic polymer in association with the membrane to form a &ldquo;wet seal&rdquo; closure. The thermoplastic polymer melts at a lower temperature than the polymeric membrane and the melted polymer integrates with the membrane by flowing along surfaces and into available interstices of the membrane to form a cell-tight closure when the polymer cools below its melt temperature. The application of heat may be accompanied by slight pressure, and a heat sink may be applied to limit heat transfer beyond the closure region to the membrane. In association with melting of the polymer, the membrane/thermoplastic polymer combination may be twisted and/or elongated, and twisting may form a separation region which can be cut to form first and second devices. The membrane and thermoplastic polymer may be made of polytetrafluoroethylene and fluorinated ethylene propylene, respectively. The containment device may be directly implanted into a recipient in need of a treatment provided by contents of the device.

Method of closing a cell containment device with a wet seal

The present invention is directed to materials that assist respiration of living cells contained in cell-containing systems. The materials form air-filled conduits or channels through which gases, such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, can readily exchange by diffusional means between regions of different gas partial pressures. When the present invention is placed within an aqueous environment, such as cell-culture media or host tissue, the invention provides aid to cellular respiration in cell-containing systems.

Respiratory aids

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Flagstaff, AZ, United States of America

Brian H Kram