Selective expansion of target cell populations

A system for continuous selective expansion of a predetermined target population of cells, comprising:

• a growth medium for supporting cell division;
• a chamber for receiving said growth medium;
• and
• a selection element, comprising a plurality of binding sites bearing a selective binding molecule having a specific affinity for cells of said predetermined target cell population, positioned to contact said growth medium during or after cell division.

A system for continuous selective expansion of a predetermined target population of cells, comprising:

• a growth medium for causing cell division;
• a chamber for receiving said growth medium;
• and
• a selection element, comprising a plurality of binding sites bearing a selective binding molecule having a specific affinity for cells of cell populations other than said predetermined target cell population and having substantially less affinity for cells of said predetermined target cell population, said selection element being positioned to contact said growth medium during or after cell division.

A method of selective expansion of a predetermined target population of cells, said method comprising:

• introducing fluid containing a plurality of cells into a growth medium;
• causing cells of said predetermined target cell population to divide;
• and
• selecting cells of said predetermined target population from other cells in the growth medium;
• wherein said causing and selecting steps are carried out substantially simultaneously.

A method of enhancing the immune function of a patient, said method comprising

• introducing a sample containing relatively undifferentiated cells into a growth medium;
• causing said relatively undifferentiated cells to divide;
• selecting relatively undifferentiated cells from other cell populations present in said growth medium;
• and
• administering a portion of the selected relatively undifferentiated cells to the patient.

A method of treating a patient in need of cell infusion, comprising:

• introducing a sample containing relatively undifferentiated cells into a growth medium;
• introducing into said growth medium one or more growth factors selected to cause said relatively undifferentiated cells to differentiate to form a predetermined population of cells;
• causing cells in said growth medium to divide;
• selecting cells of said predetermined population from other cells present in said growth medium;
• and
• administering cells of said predetermined population to the patient.

A method of treating a patient in need of a therapeutic compound, said method comprising:

• (a) providing a sample containing a first population of cells which produce said therapeutic compound;
• (b) passing a portion of the sample through a chamber containing a solid support capable of supporting a plurality of living cells adhered thereto, wherein said support comprises a plurality of binding sites with specific affinity for said first population of cells so that a portion of said cells bind to said binding sites;
• (c) causing medium containing nutrients to flow through said chamber to cause said bound cells to produce said compound;
• (d) harvesting said compound from the chamber;
• and
• (e) administering said compound to the patient.

A method of making a bioreactor for continuous selective clonogenic expansion of a predetermined population of cells, said method comprising:

• (a) providing a chamber having an inlet, an outlet, and a passage for fluid flow from the inlet to the outlet, and, disposed in the chamber, a solid support having a plurality of activated sites;
• (b) binding a selective binding molecule with specific affinity for said predetermined population of cells to the activated sites to enable the activated sites to support a plurality of living cells adhered thereto;
• (c) introducing into the chamber an agent which is capable of binding to regions of said solid support on which said selective binding molecules are not present and preventing non-specific interaction between said regions and materials subsequently introduced into the chamber;
• (d) causing fluid containing a plurality of cells of said cell population to flow through said chamber, so that a portion of said cells bind to said binding sites;
• and
• (e) introducing a growth medium to the chamber.