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:
Oct. 31, 2000
Filed:
Mar. 28, 1997
Yoshitaka Ohmura, Nakaimachi, JP;
Noboru Taguchi, Nakaimachi, JP;
Tadashi Sameshima, Nakaimachi, JP;
Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A method of separating cells from blood by using a filter apparatus having first and second ports and a filter member therebetween having a changeable porosity. The filter member includes a stack of porous polymer sheets that preferably has a gradient of a physical or chemical characteristic in the direction of stacking. This can include a gradient in porosity, hydrophilicity or zeta potential. In a first step, blood is filtered through the apparatus when the filter member is set to a compressive state having a first porosity capable of capturing the objective cells. In a later step, the filter member is then set to a non-compressive state having a second porosity, higher than the first, for recovering the objective cells. The change in porosity results from the enlargement or reduction of the diameter of the pores of the filter member. The method can also include washing the filter member when the member is set to a porosity that is higher than the first porosity but lower than the second porosity.