Methods for controlling a spinning membrane separator so as to limit fouling of the membrane by changing the rotation rate of the spinning membrane in response to the fouling rate, while maintaining a constant outlet cellular concentration. Increasing the spinner rotation rate will increase the strength of the Taylor vortices generated within the separator by the spinning of the membrane, which should reduce fouling of the membrane. The goal of the method is to rotate the spinning membrane at the slowest rate possible without unacceptable fouling. Two specific methods to control fouling are disclosed. In a first, unidirectional method, the spin rate of the membrane is only increased in response to undesirable fouling in order to prevent the fouling from continuing. In a second, bidirectional method, the spin rate of the membrane may be either increased or decreased in response to the measured fouling rate in order to maintain the fouling rate within a desired range.

Provided is a method for producing a cell population containing embryonic erythroblasts, including the steps of: (1) subjecting pluripotent stem cells to suspension culture to form a cell aggregate; and (2) obtaining the cell population from the cell aggregate obtained in step (1), step (2) including step (2a) of subjecting the cell aggregate to adhesion culture. In addition, provided are an embryonic erythroblast-containing cell population, a cell culture composition containing the cell population, and a compound test method that uses the embryonic erythroblast-containing cell population.

Provided herein are methods of producing erythrocytes from hematopoietic cells, particularly hematopoietic cells from placental perfusate in combination with hematopoietic cells from umbilical cord blood, wherein the method results in accelerated expansion and differentiation of the hematopoietic cells to more efficiently produce administrable erythrocytes. Further provided herein is a bioreactor in which hematopoietic cell expansion and differentiation takes place.

Provided is a cell culture method including introducing a factor into cells in a cell culture vessel, and culturing the cells into which the factor has been introduced in the same cell culture vessel. Also provided is a mononuclear cell collection method including treating blood to prepare a treated blood from which erythrocytes have been at least partially removed, diluting the treated blood, causing sedimentation of mononuclear cells contained in the diluted treated blood, removing the supernatant from the diluted treated blood, and collecting the mononuclear cells.

Provided is an erythrocyte removal device 100 including a blood container 10 that holds blood and an erythrocyte removal vessel 11 that at least partially removes erythrocytes from blood.

A modified vertebrate cell comprising a vertebrate cell encased in reversibly interlinked metal-organic framework (MOF) nanoparticles, and methods of making and using the modified cell, are provided.

A method and system for collecting leukoreduced red blood cells employing a spinning membrane separator including a housing having an upper end region and a lower end region in an operating position with a red blood cell outlet in the upper end region of the housing and a whole blood inlet in the lower end region of the housing. The method and system provide for flowing additive solution into the whole blood inlet of the housing to prime the separator; flowing whole blood into the whole blood inlet of the housing; separating red blood cells from the whole blood; flowing separated red blood cells out of the red blood cell outlet of the housing; combining the separated red blood cells with additive solution: passing the separated red blood cells and additive solution combination through a leukoreduction filter; and collecting the filtered red blood cells and additive solution.

A method and apparatus to neutralize or destroy pathogens in red blood cell concentrate (RBCC). The apparatus may include a lamp to provide ultra-violet (UV) light having a predetermined wavelength, a focusing member to focus the UV light from the lamp, a chamber assembly to receive the RBCC at a predetermined flow rate and to cause the received RBCC to be exposed to the focused UV light, and a controller. The chamber assembly may include a window and a bladder assembly. The bladder assembly may have a movable bladder portion. The controller may control movement of the bladder portion such that a space provided between the window and a surface of the bladder assembly, wherein the RBCC is caused to flow, enables the focused UV light to neutralize or destroy at least some of the pathogens in the RBCC during flow through the space.

Acoustophoretic devices for separating particles from a non-flowing host fluid are disclosed. The devices include a substantially acoustically transparent container and a separation unit, with the container being placed within the separation unit. An ultrasonic transducer in the separation unit creates a planar or multi-dimensional acoustic standing wave within the container, trapping particles disposed within the non-flowing fluid and causing them to coalesce or agglomerate, then separate due to buoyancy or gravity forces.

Cells incorporating a synthetic molecule construct of the structure F—S.sub.1—S.sub.2-L where: F—S.sub.1 is an aminoalkylglycoside where F is a mono-, di-, tri- or oligo-saccharide and S.sub.1 is 2-aminoethyl, 3-aminopropyl, 4-aminobutyl, or 5-aminopentyl; S.sub.2 is —CO(CH.sub.2).sub.2CO—, —CO(CH.sub.2).sub.3CO—, —CO(CH.sub.2).sub.4CO— or —CO(CH.sub.2).sub.5CO—; and L is phosphatidylethanolamine.