Immunological methods for removing species from the blood circulatory system and devices therefor

An immunological method for extracting from a living mammal a hapten in the blood of said mammal, comprising

• (1) connecting in the blood circulatory system of said mammal a hapten-removing device, said device comprising a first chamber and a second chamber;
• a semipermeable membrane separating said first chamber from said second chamber;
• inlet means and outlet means for connecting said first chamber in the circulatory system of said mammal;
• a liquid phase containing antibodies to said hapten in said second chamber, said membrane being permeable to said hapten and being impermeable to said antibodies;
• and closed regenerative means connected in a fluid circuit with said second chamber, said regenerative means comprising a third chamber,
• (2) drawing at least a portion of said liquid phase from said second chamber to said third chamber,
• (3) changing the pH of said liquid phase in said third chamber for releasing said antibody from said hapten, and
• (4) returning said antibody to said second chamber and preventing said hapten from returning to said second chamber.

An immunological method for extracting from a living mammal an antigen in the blood of said mammal, comprising

• (1) connecting in the blood circulatory system of said mammal an antigen-removing device, said device comprising a first chamber and a second chamber;
• a semipermeable membrane separating said first chamber from said second chamber;
• inlet means and outlet means for connecting said first chamber in the circulatory system of said mammal;
• a liquid phase containing antibodies to said antigen in said second chamber, said membrane being permeable to said antigen and being impermeable to said antibodies;
• and closed regenerative means connected in a fluid circuit with said second chamber, said regenerative means comprising a third chamber,
• (2) drawing at least a portion of said liquid phase from said second chamber to said third chamber,
• (3) changing the pH of said liquid phase in said third chamber for releasing said antibody from said antigen, and
• (4) returning said antibody to said second chamber and preventing said antigen from returning to said second chamber.

A device for removing a hapten from the blood circulatory system of a mammal comprising a first chamber and a second chamber;

• a semipermeable membrane separating said first chamber from said second chamber;
• inlet means and outlet means for connecting said first chamber in the circulatory system of said mammal;
• a liquid phase containing antibodies to said hapten in said second chamber, said membrane being permeable to said hapten and being impermeable to said antibodies;
• and closed regenerative means connected in a fluid circuit with said second chamber, said regenerative means comprising a third chamber, means for drawing at least a portion of said liquid phase from said second chamber to said third chamber, means for changing the pH of said liquid phase in said third chamber for releasing said antibody from said hapten, means for returning said antibody to said second chamber, and means physically for preventing said hapten from returning to said second chamber.

A device for removing an antigen from the blood circulatory system of a mammal comprising a first chamber and a second chamber;

• a semipermeable membrane separating said first chamber from said second chamber;
• inlet means and outlet means for connecting said first chamber in the circulatory system of said mammal;
• a liquid phase containing antibodies to said antigen in said second chamber, said membrane being permeable to said antigen and being impermeable to said antibodies;
• and closed regenerative means connected in a fluid circuit with said second chamber, said regenerative means comprising a third chamber, means for drawing at least a portion of said liquid phase from said second chamber to said third chamber, means for changing the pH of said liquid phase in said third chamber for releasing said antibody from said antigen, means for returning said antibody to said second chamber, and means physically for preventing said antigen from returning to said second chamber.