Cell growing device for in vitro cell population expansion

A cell growing device for in vitro cell population growth, the cell growth occurring in fluid growth media within the device, the device comprising:

• a plurality of first hollow fiber cartridges, each of the plurality of first hollow cartridges having a housing and a plurality of capillaries, each of the capillaries including walls having interiors and exteriors, the housing having a first inflow opening and a first outflow opening, the plurality of capillaries extending between the first inflow opening and the first outflow opening, at least one of the capillaries having selectively permeable walls, the interiors of the walls of the plurality of capillaries defining a first lumen extending between and being in fluid communication with the first inflow opening and the first outflow opening, the exteriors of the walls of the plurality of capillaries and the housing defining a first extracapillary space, the housing having a first primary orifice in fluid communication with the first extracapillary space;
• a plurality of second hollow fiber cartridges, each of the plurality of second hollow cartridges having a housing and a plurality of capillaries, each of the capillaries including walls having interiors and exteriors, the housing having a second inflow opening and a second outflow opening, the plurality of capillaries extending between the second inflow opening and the second outflow opening, at least one of the capillaries having selectively permeable walls, the interiors of the walls of the plurality of capillaries defining a first lumen extending between and being in fluid communication with the second inflow opening and the second outflow opening, the exteriors of the walls of the plurality of capillaries and the housing defining a second extracapillary space, the housing having a second primary orifice in fluid communication with the second extracapillary space;
• a fluid connecting mechanism for fluidly connecting the plurality of first cartridges with the plurality of second cartridges, the first cartridges being connected in parallel and the second cartridges being connected in parallel, the fluid connecting mechanism including a recirculation mechanism for recirculating fluid media from the respective outflow openings of the hollow fiber cartridges to inflow openings thereof and extracapillary space connecting mechanism for fluidly connecting the extracapillary spaces of the plurality of first cartridges with those of the plurality of second cartridges, the fluid connecting mechanism having alternate fluid pathway for fluid media flowing between the plurality of first cartridges and the plurality of second cartridges, a first pathway being from the first extracapillary spaces to the second extracapillary spaces and a second pathway being from the second extracapillary spaces to the first extracapillary spaces;
• a valve mechanism for controlling the flow of fluid media through the fluid connecting mechanism, the valve mechanism including a switch mechanism for selectively switching the flow of media between the alternate fluid pathways;
• and
• a controlling computer for controlling the flow of media through the fluid connecting mechanism, the valve mechanism being connected to the controlling computer, the controlling computer controlling the switch mechanism.

A cell growing device for m vitro cell population growth, the cell growth occurring in fluid growth media within the device, the device comprising:

• a first hollow fiber cartridge having a housing and a plurality of capillaries, each of the capillaries including walls having interiors and exteriors, the housing having a first inflow opening and a first outflow opening, the plurality of capillaries extending between the first inflow opening and the first outflow opening, at least one of the capillaries having selectively permeable walls, the interiors of the walls of the plurality of capillaries defining a first lumen extending between and being in fluid communication with the first inflow opening and the first outflow opening, the exteriors of the walls of the plurality of capillaries and the housing defining a first extracapillary space, the housing having a first primary orifice in fluid communication with the first extracapillary space;
• a second hollow fiber cartridge having a housing and a plurality of capillaries, each of the capillaries including walls having interiors and exteriors, the housing having a second inflow opening and a second outflow opening, the plurality of capillaries extending between the second inflow opening and the second outflow opening, at least one of the capillaries having selectively permeable walls, the interiors of the walls of the plurality of capillaries defining a second lumen extending between and being in fluid communication with the second inflow opening and the second outflow opening, the exteriors of the walls of the plurality of capillaries and the housing defining a second extracapillary space, the housing having a second primary orifice in fluid communication with the second extracapillary space;
• and
• a fluid connecting mechanism for fluidly connecting the first and second cartridges, the fluid connecting mechanism including a recirculation mechanism for recirculating fluid media from the respective outflow openings of the hollow fiber cartridges to inflow openings thereof and an extracapillary space connecting mechanism for fluidly connecting the first extracapillary space with the second extracapillary space, wherein all fluid communication between the first cartridge and the second cartridge other than that passing through the recirculation mechanism passes through the extracapillary space connecting mechanism, said fluid connecting mechanism including an outflow blocking mechanism for substantially blocking a flow of media from the first lumen via the first outflow opening, wherein the outflow blocking mechanism can be closed to substantially block the flow of media from the first lumen via the first outflow opening such that substantially all of the influx of media into the first lumen via the first inflow opening is directed across the capillary walls into the first extracapillary space and wherein the outflow blocking mechanism includes a first valve in fluid communication with the first outflow opening distal to the first lumen, wherein the first valve can be alternately opened and closed such that the flow of media from the first lumen via the first outflow opening is alternately permitted and substantially blocked.