System and method for particle filtration

A filtration device including at least one filtration unit, the at least one filtration unit comprising:

• a first flow chamber including
• at least one feed inlet configured to receive a feed comprising particles and a fluid, and
• at least one retentate outlet;
• a second flow chamber including
• a distal end having at least one filtrate outlet;
• and
• a filter positioned between the first flow chamber and the second flow chamber, the filter including
• a first row of pillars, and
• a plurality of pores defined by spacings between adjacent pillars,
• each pore of the plurality of pores including
• a physical pore size defined by a distance between the adjacent pillars which define the pore, and
• an effective pore size smaller than the physical pore size;
• the first flow chamber, the second flow chamber, and the filter being configured to retain particles having a size greater than the effective pore sizes of the pores and smaller than the physical pore sizes as retentate in the first flow chamber, and pass a fraction of the fluid as filtrate into the second flow chamber using fluid flow conditions around a pore to achieve the effective pore size.

A method for particle filtration comprising:

• introducing a feed comprising particles into a feed inlet of a filtration device including at least one filtration module, the filtration module comprising
• a first flow chamber including
• at least one feed inlet, and
• at least one retentate outlet;
• a second flow chamber including
• a distal end having at least one filtrate outlet, and
• a first filter having a first retention size, the first filter positioned between the first flow chamber and the second flow chamber, the first filter including
• a first row of pillars, and
• a plurality of pores defined by spacings between adjacent pillars,
• each pore having a physical pore size larger than the first retention size;
• passing the feed through the filtration device, fluid flow configurations around the filter achieving the first retention size;
• collecting retentate comprising particles having a size larger than the first retention size at the retentate outlet;
• and
• collecting filtrate comprising particles smaller than the first retention size at the filtrate outlet.

A method for particle filtration comprising:

• introducing a feed comprising umbilical cord blood comprising a population of target cells comprising stem cells and colony forming cells into a first inlet of a microfluidic device, the feed having a volume of at least 50 ml, the microfluidic device including
• a first flow chamber having a depth of less than 500 micrometers,
• at least one inlet,
• at least one outlet,
• a first channel in fluid connection with the first flow chamber and the inlet, and
• a second channel in fluid connection with the first flow chamber and the outlet,
• the first flow chamber, the first channel and the second channel being fabricated on the same surface;
• passing the feed through the microfluidic device;
• and
• collecting at least 70% of the target cells in a volume of less than 30 ml.