Methods and devices for removing species

A method of removing from a living mammal a species in the blood of said mammal, comprising connecting in the blood circulatory system of said mammal a species-removing device, said device comprising passage means for said blood, binding means in said device for binding said species substantially specifically, and exposure means in said device for exposing said species to said binding means and for preventing said binding means from entering said circulatory system, a step of connecting a closed regenerative means in a fluid circuit with said device to separate said species from said binding means without physically removing said device from said living mammal, and a further step of reusing said device to remove said species from the blood of said living mammal.

A device comprising a passage;

• immunological binding means in operative communication with said passage for binding a species substantially specifically;
• exposure means in said device for exposing said species to said binding means and for preventing said binding means from leaving said device;
• and closed regenerative means for separating said species from said binding means for reuse of said binding means in said device, said regenerative means comprising a reagent, valving selectively connecting said reagent in fluid communication with said binding means to release said species from said binding means, and control means for automatically operating said valving.

A device comprising a first chamber, said first chamber having an inlet and an outlet, a second chamber, and a semipermeable membrane separating the first and second chambers, immunological binding means in said second chamber for binding a species substantially specifically;

• and closed regenerative means for separating said species from said binding means for reuse of said binding means in said device, said regenerative means comprising a third chamber, a reagent chosen to release said species from said binding means, valving selectively connecting said reagent in fluid communication with said third chamber, and control means for automatically operating said valving.

A device comprising a first chamber, said first chamber having an inlet and an outlet, a second chamber, and a first semipermeable membrane separating the first and second chambers, immunological binding means in said second chamber for binding a species substantially specifically;

• and closed regenerative means for separating said species from said binding means for reuse of said binding means in said device, said regenerative means comprising a reagent, valving selectively connecting said regenerative means in fluid communication with said second chamber, and control means for automatically operating said valving, the control means being connected to the regenerative means so as to automatically draw a liquid phase from the second chamber to a third chamber in the regenerative means, so as to automatically add the reagent to the liquid phase to release said species from said binding means, and so as to remove the first species from the third chamber and return the second species to the second chamber.

A device comprising a passage;

• an immunological binding species in said device in operative communication with said passage, the immunological binding species binding a second species substantially specifically;
• and a closed regenerative system for separating said second species from said binding species for reuse of said binding species in said device, said regenerative system comprising a reagent container, a reagent in the container adapted to release said second species from said binding species, valving selectively connecting said reagent container in fluid communication with said binding species bound to said second species, and a control, the control automatically operating said valving.

A device comprising a passage;

• binding means in operative communication with said passage for binding a species substantially specifically;
• exposure means in said device for exposing said species to said binding means and for preventing said binding means from leaving said device;
• and closed regenerative means for separating said species from said binding means for reuse of said binding means in said device, said regenerative means comprising a first reagent, a first valve selectively connecting said first reagent in fluid communication with said binding means to separate said species from said binding means, a second reagent, a second valve selectively connecting said second reagent in fluid communication with said binding means to return said binding means to a regenerated condition, and control means for automatically operating said valves.

A closed regeneration device for separating a molecule bound substantially specifically to a binding species for reuse of said binding species, said regeneration device comprising a first reagent, a first valve selectively connecting said first reagent in fluid communication with said molecule bound to the binding species to separate said molecule from said binding species, a second reagent, a second valve selectively connecting said second reagent in fluid communication with said binding species to return said binding species to a regenerated condition, and control means for automatically operating said valves.