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. 08, 2001
Filed:
Jun. 24, 1997
R. Douglas Armstrong, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
James Maluta, Dexter, MI (US);
David W. Roecker, Denver, CO (US);
Aastrom Bioscience, Inc., Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Abstract
A portable cassette is disclosed, for receiving, maintaining and growing biological cells ex vivo, without exposing the cells to the external environment. The portable cassette is used in combination with a succession of instruments, to inoculate the cassette's cell growth chamber with cells, to then incubate the chamber so that the cells are optimally expanded, and finally to harvest the expanded cells. Each instrument is configured to condition the portable cassette during a stage of the cell growth process, without disturbing the cassette's sterile system. In addition, an updatable memory device associated with the cassette stores significant information about the cassette and its condition during the various steps of the cell growth process. Such information is useful both for subsequent archival purposes and for facilitating a resumption of the cell growth process in the event of any instrument failure or significant alarm condition.