Whole blood separation system

A method controlling fouling and complement protein activation during spinning membrane filtration of plasma from whole blood comprising:

• (a) providing a source of whole blood;
• (b) providing a blood separation circuit comprising
• a whole blood fluid flow path with a whole blood inlet for connection to a source of whole blood;
• a separator including outer housing and inner rotor mounted within the outer housing for rotation relative to the outer housing, a gap being defined between an outer surface of the rotor and an inner surface of the outer housing, at least one of the outer surface of the rotor or inner surface of the outer housing comprising a filter membrane configured to allow the passage of plasma therethrough while substantially blocking cellular components, the membrane consisting of polycarbonate and having a smooth surface and substantially linear pores with a nominal diameter of from 0.6 microns to 0.8 microns, the outer housing including an inlet in fluid communication with the whole blood fluid flow path, or a cell preservation solution fluid flow path, or the whole blood fluid flow path and the cell preservation solution fluid flow path, and in flow communication with the gap for directing whole blood, or cell preservation solution, or whole blood and cell preservation solution into the gap, the outer housing including an outlet communicating with the gap, and one of the outer housing and the rotor including an outlet communicating with the side of the membrane facing away from the gap;
• and the outlet in the outer housing communicating with the gap being in flow communication with an outlet fluid flow path for connection to a storage container;
• (c) flowing whole blood from the collected unit through the gap, to allow plasma to pass through the membrane and cellular components to be blocked;
• (d) withdrawing concentrated red blood cells from the gap.

A disposable fluid flow circuit for separating whole blood into a plasma component and a concentrated red cell component, the circuit comprising:

• a whole blood fluid flow path with a whole blood inlet for connection to a source of whole blood;
• a separator including outer housing and inner rotor mounted within the housing for rotation relative to the outer housing, a gap being defined between an outer surface of the rotor and an inner surface of the outer housing, at least one of the outer surface of the rotor or inner surface of the housing comprising a filter membrane configured to allow the passage of plasma therethrough while substantially blocking cellular components, the membrane consisting of polycarbonate and having a smooth surface and substantially linear pores with a nominal diameter of from 0.6 microns to 0.8 microns, the outer housing including an inlet in fluid communication with the whole blood fluid flow path, or a cell preservation solution fluid flow path, or the whole blood fluid flow path and the cell preservation solution fluid flow path, and in flow communication with the gap for directing whole blood, cell preservation solution, or whole blood and cell preservation solution into the gap, the outer housing including an outlet communicating with the gap, and one of the outer housing and the rotor including an outlet communicating with the side of the membrane facing away from the gap;
• and
• the outlet in the outer housing communicating with the gap being in flow communication with an outlet fluid flow path for connection to a storage container.