US 5,704,888 A · Intermittent collection of mononuclear cells in a centrifuge apparatus

Abstract

A centrifuge apparatus is used for collecting white blood cells, primarily mononuclear cells, from whole blood stratified into layers. A thin mononuclear (MNC) layer is formed at the interface of red blood cells and plasma. A barrier is positioned in the separation vessel of the centrifuge at a location to intercept the thin layer. An MNC collect port is positioned in front of the barrier to collect the thin layer. MNC fluid is allowed to pool behind the barrier to surround the collect port before collection is started. Collection ceases when the pool is removed and allowed to build again. By operating the collect in an intermittent fashion, improvements in purity and collect volume are achieved. The intermittent collection procedure can be useful for harvesting granulocytes and, in general, any sparse stratified component of a centrifuged solution where the sparse component is layered between more dense and less dense strata.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A method for the centrifugal processing of a liquid for separating a sparse component of the liquid into a stratified layer formed at the interface of a stratified layer of more dense component and a stratified layer of less dense component the centrifugal processing method including steps under machine control said method comprising the steps of:

providing for feeding the liquid into an inlet line of a separation vessel of a machine controlled centrifuge apparatus, said vessel having a barrier located therein and a collect port located in front of said barrier;
providing for continuously operating the centrifuge apparatus to effect separation of the liquid into the stratified layer of the sparse component, the more dense component and the less dense component said barrier located within said vessel to intercept the stratified layer of said sparse component formed at said interface;
providing for accumulating said layer of sparse component to form a pool in front of said barrier;
providing for the machine-controlled step of determining when to remove at least a portion of the accumulated sparse component through said collect port located in front of said barrier and positioned within said pool;
providing for removing accumulated sparse component
providing for the repetition of the steps of accumulating and removing.

3 more elements

providing for the feeding of said liquid through an inlet line of a separation vessel of a centrifuge apparatus, said separation vessel having a barrier located therein, said centrifuge apparatus and separation vessel together having a separation factor which is a function of centrifuge speed, inlet flow rate, and the geometry of the separation vessel;
providing for the operation of said centrifuge apparatus to effect separation of said liquid into stratified layers, said barrier positioned within said separation vessel to intercept said layer of sparse component;
providing for the accumulation of a pool of said sparse component in front of said barrier;
providing for the establishment of a process cycle volume as a function of the count of said sparse component within said liquid, said separation factor and the size of said barrier, said process cycle volume being the volume of said liquid needed to establish said pool of sparse component to a size that fills the space in front of said barrier without spilling past said barrier;
after said pool of said sparse component has been accumulated, providing for the removal of at least a portion of said sparse component from said pool;
and
providing for repeating the accumulation and removal steps.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Intermittent collection of mononuclear cells in a centrifuge apparatus

Life of this patent

Intermittent collection of mononuclear cells in a centrifuge apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8