The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 26, 1992
Filed:
Mar. 25, 1991
William L Chick, Wellesley, MA (US);
Susan J Sullivan, Newton, MA (US);
W. R. Grace & Co.-Conn., New York, NY (US);
Abstract
A device which serves as an artificial pancreas comprises a hollow fiber which is surrounded by islets of Langerhans enclosed in a housing. The islets are suspended in a temperature sensitive matrix which is sufficiently viscous to support islets at a temperature below about 45.degree. C. and sufficiently fluid to enable removal of islet suspension at a temperature above about 45.degree. C. A warm (e.g., 48.degree. to 50.degree. C.) solution may be flushed through the device to change the physical state of the temperature sensitive matrix from a semi-solid state to a liquified semi-gel state. The temperature sensitive supporting material also enables long term maintenance of islet cells in in vitro culture.