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:
Mar. 11, 2014
Filed:
Jun. 23, 2011
Selva Sukumar, Berkeley, CA (US);
Mohey Eldin M. El Shikh, Richmond, VA (US);
John G. Tew, Mechanicsville, VA (US);
Guzman Sanchez-schmitz, Orlando, FL (US);
Donald Drake, Iii, Orlando, FL (US);
Luis Mosquera, Oviedo, FL (US);
Conan LI, Los Altos, CA (US);
Anatoly M. Kachurin, Orlando, FL (US);
Russell Higbee, Orlando, FL (US);
Heather Fahlenkamp, Cleveland, OK (US);
Eric Mishkin, Winter Springs, FL (US);
William L. Warren, Orlando, FL (US);
Selva Sukumar, Berkeley, CA (US);
Mohey Eldin M. El Shikh, Richmond, VA (US);
John G. Tew, Mechanicsville, VA (US);
Guzman Sanchez-Schmitz, Orlando, FL (US);
Donald Drake, III, Orlando, FL (US);
Luis Mosquera, Oviedo, FL (US);
Conan Li, Los Altos, CA (US);
Anatoly M. Kachurin, Orlando, FL (US);
Russell Higbee, Orlando, FL (US);
Heather Fahlenkamp, Cleveland, OK (US);
Eric Mishkin, Winter Springs, FL (US);
William L. Warren, Orlando, FL (US);
Sanofi Pasteur Vaxdesign Corp., Orlando, FL (US);
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA (US);
Abstract
The present invention incorporates germinal centers (GCs) into three-dimensional (3D) engineered tissue constructs (ETCs). In an embodiment, we have incorporated the GC in the design of an artificial immune system (AIS) to examine immune responses to vaccines and other compounds. Development of an in vitro GC adds functionality to an AIS, in that it enables generation of an in vitro human humoral response by human B lymphocytes that is accurate and reproducible, without using human subjects. The invention also permits evaluation of, for example, vaccines, allergens, and immunogens, and activation of human B cells specific for a given antigen, which can then be used to generate human antibodies. In an embodiment of the present invention the function of the in vitro GC is enhanced by placing FDCs and other immune cells in a 3D ETC; FDCs appear more effective over a longer time (antibody production is sustained for up to about 14 days.