Claims
- 1. A process for removing antigens from blood fluid comprising the steps of (1) immobilizing a specific immunoreactive scavenging means for said antigen within a porous exterior surface of said membrane, (2) passing an antigen-bearing blood fluid along a retentive-barrier side of an anisotropic membrane the barrier layer of which will not allow passage of the blood cells, (3) assuring a unidirectional diffusion process is the only steady-state process for carrying any other blood components through said membrane by maintaining the porous side of said membrane in a closed container of constant volume, and (4) utilizing said scavenging means to maintain a concentration gradient of said antigen across said membrane and to achieve an improved capture rate of said antigen by said immunoreactive scavenging means.
- 2. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said membrane barrier surface is in the form of the interior surfaces of a plurality of closely spaced tubes and wherein said agent is positioned within the porous exterior portion of said tubes.
- 3. A process as defined in claim 2 wherein said antigen is digoxin.
- 4. A process as defined in claim 2 wherein said antigen is a barbiturate.
- 5. A process as defined in claim 2 wherein said antigen is propoxyphene napsylate.
- 6. A process as defined in claim 2 wherein said antigen is an antigen antibody complex.
- 7. A process as defined in claim 6 wherein said antigen antibody complex is an insulin antibody.
- 8. A process as defined in claim 2 wherein said antigen is quinidine.
- 9. A process as defined in claim 2 wherein said antigen is bilirubin and said antibody is albumin.
- 10. A process as defined in claim 2 wherein said antigen is immunoglobulin G.
- 11. A process as defined in claim 2 wherein said antigen is a bacteria.
- 12. A process as defined in claim 2 wherein said antigen is 1-thyroxin.
- 13. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said antigen is about 100,000 daltons and wherein said immunoreactive scavenging agent is attached to said membrane via a molecular space segment.
- 14. A process as defined in claim 13 wherein said spacer material is formed of albumin.
- 15. A process as defined in claim 13 wherein said immobilized scavenging agent is albumin.
- 16. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said immunoreactive scavenging agent is in the form of an antibody which is chemically reacted to a high-molecular weight substrate to inhibit diffusion from the porous portion of said membrane.
- 17. A process as defined in claim 16 wherein said high molecular weight substrate is silica gel or dextran or a polymer formed of said scavenging agent.
- 18. A process as defined in claim 16 wherein said immobilized scavenging agent is albumin.
RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 406,495 filed on Aug. 9, 1982, now abandoned, and a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 650,772 filed on Sept. 13, 1984, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,126, which was itself a continuation-in-part of now abandoned Ser. No. 473,814 which was a continuation-in-part of 278,631 filed on June 29, 1981 by Clara M. Ambrus and Csaba G. Horvath.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Related Publications (1)
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Date |
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650772 |
Sep 1984 |
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Continuation in Parts (3)
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406495 |
Aug 1982 |
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473814 |
Jun 1981 |
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278631 |
Jun 1981 |
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