Abstract: Dialysis membranes in the form of flat foils, tube foils or hollow fibers of regenerated cellulose are disclosed, with decreased leukopenia effect, in which polymeric acids are chemically bound at least to one membrane surface across bridge-formers chemically bound to the cellulose. Polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid and/or polymaleic acid or also their copolymers with more than 5 Mol % acrylic acid- and/or methacrylic- and/or maleic acid- monomer building blocks come into question as polymeric acids. Celluloses modified with bridge formers are, in particular, amino celluloses, including thereunder also naturally-occurring species such as chitosan.

Abstract: Dialysis membranes in the form of flat foils, tube foils or hollow fibers of regenerated cellulose are disclosed, with decreased leukopenia effect, in which polymeric acids are chemically bound at least to one membrane surface across bridge-formers chemically bound to the cellulose. Polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid and/or polymaleic acid or also their copolymers with more than 5 Mol % acrylic acid- and/or methacrylic- and/or maleic acid- monomer building blocks come into question as polymeric acids. Celluloses modified with bridge formers are, in particular, amino celluloses, including thereunder also naturally-occurring species such as chitosan.

Abstract: A biochemically active matrix for use in a bio-artificial organ is disclosed. The biochemically active matrix has an enzyme covalently bonded to a matrix of organochemically cross-linked fibrin. The matrix may be suspended in a medium of agarose which irreversibly solidifies below 37.degree. C. The bio-artificial organ is useful for extracorporeal treatment of blood to remove excess substrate from the blood. .

Abstract: A bio-artificial organ containing a biochemically active matrix is disclosed. The biochemically active matrix includes biochemically active enzyme-containing microcapsules entrapped within a gel matrix. An extracorporeal blood flow can be passed through the organ and over the biochemically active matrix to permit the enzyme to perform its enzymatic function on a substrate in the blood.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a group of novel compounds defined as covalently bound poly-N-vinyl pyrrolidinone (PVP)-heparins. These compounds are synthesized on the basis of a novel concept that heparin molecules can be modified to have new desirable qualities by binding heparin covalently to an appropriate polymer carrier which has the desired characteristics.Heparin is hydrophilic and thereby insoluble in organic solvent. It has a short half-life in vivo. PVP-heparins, on the other hand, not only retain the anticoagulant activities of heparin, but also have the solubility (in organic solvents) and longer half-life in vivo of PVP.PVP-heparins are produced either in anhydrous or heterogeneous media wherein PVP is activated by thionyl chloride to produce an imidoyl ion which is subsequently bound to heparin. PVP-heparin produced in anhydrous media is chloroform soluble and has been found useful for coating plastics and similar substances.

Abstract: An affinity chromatography method for the separation of high-activity heparin from a mixture thereof with low-activity heparin. The method employs an affinity column of protamine coupled to a water-insoluble solid support material such as agarose, and a series of sodium chloride-imidazole elution buffers (pH 6.5-7.5) varying in sodium chloride molarity from about 1.3 to about 2.0. Stepwise elution of a plurality of heparin fractions from the affinity column with the elution buffers of successively increasing sodium chloride molarity results in the removal from the affinity column of first the low-activity heparin and finally the high-activity heparin.

Abstract: An affinity chromatography method for the separation of high-activity heparin from a mixture thereof with low-activity heparin. The method employs an affinity column of DEAE-Sephadex and a series of sodium chloride-imidazole elution buffers (pH 6.5-7.5) varying in sodium chloride molarity from about 0.5 to about 1.0. Stepwise elution of a plurality of heparin fractions from the affinity column with the elution buffers of successively increasing sodium chloride molarity results in the removal from the affinity column of first the low-activity heparin and finally the high-activity heparin.