Abstract: The present invention relates to various methods of treatment using a novel blood perfusion device.

Abstract: This invention refers to a hybrid circulatory system with which the transportation of cells and/or substances within a biological organism can be mimicked, in particularly the human body. The natural example is blood with plasma, transferring substances and blood cells, e.g. from hematopoietic-, immune-, and stem cell systems. Such circulatory systems are essential in the development of methods in cell biology, medical therapy, regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, and stem cell applications. Such systems can provide cells for extracorporeal organ-systems, e.g. bio-artificial liver support. Likewise, cells can be prepared and produced, especially progenitor cells for cell transplantation in cell-based therapy.

Abstract: This invention pertains to a method for the manufacturing of a cell preparation as well as such manufactured cell preparations. As a special form of such a cell preparation it also pertains to methods of generating organ/cell transplants and such a generated organ/cell transplants as well as subsequent applications. Such cell preparations are of interest for extracorporeal support systems, such as liver support, or transplants/cell implants that are transferred into organs, for instance the liver, or are placed in various other areas of an organism.

Abstract: This invention concerns a unit for skin cell perfusion for the culture-, preservation-, proliferation-, and utilization of skin cells, skin fibroblasts, skin progenitor cells in vitro, as well as their maintenance in a skin wound of a patient. These perfusion units are constructed as one chamber that contains at least one membrane system to perfuse culture media or gases through the membrane. The membrane systems consist of flat and/or hollow fiber membranes whose outer surfaces may allow the cells to immobilize. The invention also concerns a perfusion station into which such perfusion units can be integrated as well as a method for cell culture, preservation, proliferation and utilization of such cells. Likewise, a method is described that supports the process of tissue engineering in a patient's wound, whereby the following functions are applied during the healing process: nutrition, oxygenation, detoxification, pH- and electrolyte balance, and dialysis.

Abstract: The invention concerns a bioreactor in form of an organ copy representing the typical structures of animal or human organs; a procedure to manufacture as well as use the bioreactor for the cultivation, differentiation, maintenance, proliferation and/or use of organ cells or stem cells. The characteristic of this invention is that the specific hollow pathway structures supplying the cells in the open pore body are the exact same configuration as they occur in a natural organ. A further characteristic is the cell culture within open-porous structures, being perfused between the hollow pathway structures, branching out from the center to the periphery and branching in from the periphery to the center. With this bioreactor a device is described that facilitates the reorganization and use of microorganisms or cells in a manner typical to that of the natural organ.

Abstract: This invention is a module used to culture and/or preserve microorganisms, such as mammalian cells or other type of cells, and to utilize their metabolic performance. The module is located in a germ and watertight container and consists of an open open porous material whose pores are in communication with each other. It also consists of at least one tube-like system of hollow pathways whose individual channels intersect and/or overlay each other and communicate with the open porous material. The hollow pathway systems of the invention consist of layers of correlating, parallel running pathways. A hollow pathway system of this bioreactor is constructed from several such layers that are arranged in predetermined spacing on top of each other. With this bioreactor a device is described that facilitates the reorganization and use of microorganisms or cells in a manner typical to that of the natural organ.

Abstract: The invention applies to a bioreactor for neuronal cell cultures and neuronal cell culture systems with an arrangement of such neuronal cell bioreactors and their application thereof. Neuronal cell culture bioreactors are especially required in the areas of medicine and research in natural sciences. The purpose of this invention is to facilitate a 3-dimensional (3D) arrangement of neuronal cells in a bioreactor as well as a network of neuronal cells across various bioreactors.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of measuring the biaxial shaping behaviour of metal materials, more particularly sheet metal. In the measuring method a flow locus curve comprehensively describing the shaping behaviour of the material is determined by determining the flow limits under tensile and compressive loading of secondary samples of a primary sample previously subjected to at least tensile, but preferably also to compressive loading. Preferably a number of flow locus curves of different preliminary loading of the primary sample are determined for each material. These flow locus curves, completely ascertained by tests, provide the further processor with a reliable ancillary means of selecting a material required for the particular shaping operation.