Immune cell treatment

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to the field of blood treatment. More particularly, the invention relates to an ex vivo method for treating an immunological dysfunction of blood. The invention also relates to an ex vivo method for removing toxic or inflammatory compounds from blood plasma and/or supplementing blood plasma with immunologically active compounds. The methods of the invention comprise the steps of extracorporeally separating at least part of the plasma from the blood and conducting the separated plasma through a plasma-permeable hollow fiber filter with immune cells located thereon such that the plasma comes into contact with the immune cells. The invention also relates to the use of a plasma-permeable hollow fiber filter with immune cells located thereon for the ex vivo treatment of an immunological dysfunction of blood. Finally, the present invention relates to the use of a plasma-permeable hollow fiber filter with immune cells located thereon for removing toxic or inflammatory compounds from blood plasma and/or supplementing blood plasma with immunologically active compounds.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.