Abstract: A comprehensive system (10) for the growing, analyzing, storing, validating and distributing of cells or tissues for a variety of purposes, in which the comprehensive system (10) generally uses a macrocontainer (12) for each of the steps from beginning to end. The macrocontainer (12) may include a number of elements, an essential one of which is the primary container (14). In every case, the primary container (14) includes a biosensor and a data registry device (15) (usually a microchip) to record and to display the handling history of the primary container (14) throughout the implementation of the system (10). The macrocontainer (14) provides process control, sterility and a matrix within and around which associated inlets, outlets and data lines may be coordinated.

Abstract: Capillary-pore (track-etched) membranes were known to have residual negative charges formed during manufacture. We demonstrated that residual negative charges were concentrated on the interior face of the uniform passageways through the membrane stock, and then demonstrated that they were from carboxyl groups (ca 40 nanomoles per cm2 of membrane surface). We then demonstrated that these endogenous carboxyl groups could be used for modification of the surface of these highly uniform passageways, by covalent linkage with one or more compounds, thus providing a configured separation membrane.