Embodiments are described for separating collecting components from a multi-component fluid such as whole blood. Some embodiments provide for controlling the amount of a component, such as platelets, introduced into a separation chamber to ensure that the density of fluid in the separation chamber does not exceed a particular value. This may provide for collecting purer components. Other embodiments may provide for determining a chamber flow rate based on a concentration of a component in the multi-component fluid, which may then be used to determine a centrifuge speed, to collect purer concentrated components.

It is an object of the present invention a method to introduce compounds inside red blood cells comprising: —providing red blood cells from a subject; —providing one or more compounds to be encapsulated in said red blood cells; —providing a loading device comprising a microporous matrix; —feeding said loading device with a suspension comprising said red blood cells and said one or more compounds; —collecting the red blood cells exiting from said loading device, which are encapsulated red blood cells; characterized in that: —said red blood cells and said one or more compound are in suspension at a pH of between 6.8 and 7.8, preferably of between 7.35 and 7.45; —the pores in said microporous matrix have a minimum size of at least 3 times the size of a red blood cell, that is a minimum size of at least 20 μm; —the pores in said microporous matrix have an average size of between 30 and 500 μm, or of between 40 and 400 μm, or of between 50 and 350 μm, or of between 100 and 250 μm; —said porous matrix has a length L of at least 1 mm and a width W and a height H such that it comprises at least one unit cell, said unit cell being equal to the microporous matrix volume that, repeated by rototranslation through the vectors that generate the matrix, fills the whole matrix itself; wherein said loading device is fed with said suspension in such a way to obtain an average fluid speed of between 10.sup.−4 and 10 m/s. Further objects of the present invention are a microporous matrix, a loading device comprising the same, a fluidic circuit and a machine for implementing said method and red blood cells encapsulated with at least one compound according to said method.

The invention relates to a system, comprising: a) a sample processing unit, comprising an input port and an output port coupled to a rotating container having at least one sample chamber, the sample processing unit configured provide a first processing step to a sample or to rotate the container so as to apply a centrifugal force to a sample deposited in the chamber and separate at least a first component and a second component of the deposited sample; and b) a sample separation unit coupled to the output port of the sample processing unit, the cell separation unit comprising separation column holder (42), a pump (64) and a plurality of valves (1-11) configured to at least partially control fluid flow through a fluid circuitry and a separation column (40) positioned in the holder, the separation column configured to separate labeled and unlabeled components of sample flowed through the column.

Blood in a separation chamber is separated into a red blood cell layer, a plasma constituent, and a mononuclear cell-containing layer. A portion of the plasma constituent exits the chamber via a plasma outlet, while a first portion of the red blood cell layer exits via a red blood cell outlet. A second portion of the red blood cell layer exits the chamber via the red blood cell outlet and is collected. At least a portion of the collected red blood cell layer may then be conveyed to the chamber via the red blood cell outlet to convey at least a portion of the mononuclear cell-containing layer out of the chamber via the plasma outlet for collection. A second portion of the plasma constituent may be conveyed out of the chamber via the plasma outlet to more fully collect the mononuclear cell-containing layer without the use of collected plasma.

Fluid separation chambers are provided with a central hub, with generally annular low- and high-G walls extending about the hub to define therebetween a separation channel. A plurality of radial walls extend from the hub to the channel to define an inlet passage and two outlet passages. The low-G wall may include an air drain taper and/or a decreased radius adjacent to an associated outlet passage. The radius of the low-G wall and (optionally) the high-G wall may gradually decrease from an upstream end of the channel to a downstream end for improved separation. A ramp may extend across the channel, with a bottom end positioned adjacent to the bottom end of the channel, where the outlet passages open into the channel. The outlet passage associated with the high-G wall may open into the channel at an upstream end of the ramp or at the upstream end of the channel.

Embodiments are described for separating/collecting components from a multi-component fluid such as whole blood. Some embodiments provide for controlling the amount of a component, such as platelets, introduced into a separation chamber to ensure that the density of fluid in the separation chamber does not exceed a particular value. This may provide for collecting purer components. Other embodiments may provide for determining a chamber flow rate based on a concentration of a component in the multi-component fluid, which may then be used to determine a centrifuge speed, to collect purer concentrated components.

A centrifuge bowl is configured to separate a first component and a second component in a sample. The centrifuge bowl includes a shell, a core, a separation cavity, and a stator head. The shell includes an upper shell part, a middle shell part, a lower shell part, and a bottom shell part. The core is arranged in the shell. The separation cavity is arranged between the lower shell part and the core. The stator head is arranged on the shell and includes an input tube and an output tube. The sample enters the separation cavity via the input tube. When the shell and the core rotate on a rotation axis, the sample in the separation cavity is separated into the first component and the second component according to a magnitude of an inertial force. In addition, a blood centrifuge system including the above centrifuge bowl is provided.

A centrifuge rotor having a curved shape is offset on a spinning rotor base and creates contiguous areas of low to high centrifugal force depending on the distances from the axis of the rotor base and a method of separating components in a fluid based upon a difference in density of the components, the method comprising the steps of providing to a rotor as described herein the fluid containing the mixed together components to be separated based upon the difference in density of the mixed together components; continuously flowing the components in the fluid to the rotor through an input tube connected to the input port while the rotor is spinning about a centrifugal axis of rotation; separating the components in the fluid into fractions based upon the difference in density of the mixed together components with the use of centrifugal force when the rotor is spinning; collecting components having i) a first density via a first tube connected to the output port at the first end on the rotor, ii) a second density via a second tube connected to the output port at the second end on the rotor, iii) a third density via a third tube connected to the output port at the junction on the rotor and iv) a fourth density via a fourth tube connected to the output port between the input port and the output port at the first end.

A centrifuge is configured to provide integrated separation of blood components such that the separated products remain spinning within the centrifuge during the separation process. The centrifuge includes a disposable configured to separate the blood components such that the separated products remain within the disposable while the centrifuge is spinning; an integrated sensor system capable of determining a composition of the separated products within the disposable while the centrifuge is spinning; a chamber having a non-circular section that is configured to be deliberately un-balanced when the centrifuge chamber is empty; and the disposable includes valves that rotate with the centrifuge chamber.

Diffusion and infusion resistant implantable devices and methods for reducing pulsatile pressure are provided. The implantable device includes a balloon implantable within a blood vessel of a patient, e.g., the pulmonary artery. The balloon is injected with a fluid mixture comprising a constituent fluid(s) and a diffusion-resistant gas to provide optimal balloon volume and limit fluid diffusion throughout multiple cardiac cycles. The fluid mixture may be pressurized such that the balloon is transitionable between an expanded state and a collapsed state responsive to pressure fluctuations in the blood vessel.