Tangential flow filtration devices and methods for leukocyte enrichment

1. A tangential flow filtration device for preparing a cell population enriched for leukocytes, comprising:

a remover unit having a cross-flow chamber, a filtrate chamber and a filter disposed therebetween the filter having a retentate surface and a filtrate surface, the filter in fluid communication with the cross-flow chamber and the filtrate chamber;

the cross-flow chamber having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet disposed to introduce the cell population comprising a sample of blood constituents comprising leukocytes into the cross-flow chamber and parallel to the retentate surface of the filter; and the outlet centrally disposed in a portion of the cross-flow chamber opposite the filter retentate surface;

the filter having an average pore size ranging from about 1 to about 10 microns; such that flow of the sample of blood constituents across the filter enriches the cell population comprising the sample of blood constituents for leukocytes.

2. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a means for providing a predetermined input rate of the sample to the inlet of the cross-flow chamber;

a means for controlling a filtration rate of filtrate through the filter and into the filtrate chamber; and

wherein the filtration rate controlling means limits the filtration rate to less than the unopposed filtration rate for the filter.

3. The device according to claim 1 or claim 2 , wherein the filter pore size is about 3 microns to about 7 microns.

4. The device according to claim 1 or claim 2 , wherein the filter pore size is about 3 microns to about 5.5 microns.

5. The device according to claim 1 or claim 2 , further comprising: a source of the cell population comprising the blood constituents in fluid communication with the cross-flow chamber inlet.

6. The device according to claim 5 , wherein the cell population comprising the source of blood constituents is a leukopheresis device.

7. The device according to claim 1 or claim 2 , further comprising:

a recovery unit comprising an inlet and an outlet, the cross-flow chamber and the recovery unit interconnected in loop format, wherein the cross-flow chamber inlet is in fluid communication with the recovery unit outlet, and the cross-flow chamber outlet is in fluid communication with the recovery unit inlet.

8. The device according to claim 7 , wherein the recovery unit further comprises a sample inlet and a wash inlet.

9. The device according to claim 8 , further comprising a source of replacement liquid in fluid communication with the wash inlet.

10. The device according to claim 9 , wherein the replacement liquid is an isotonic buffer or tissue culture media.

11. The device according to claim 1 or claim 2 , wherein the cross-flow chamber is cylindrical and the outlet is located opposite the center of the filter and perpendicular to a surface of the filter.

12. The device according to claim 1 or claim 2 , further comprising a cell-processing apparatus in fluid communication with the remover unit.

13. The device according to claim 12 , wherein the cell processing apparatus comprises beads.

14. The device according to claim 12 , wherein the cell processing apparatus comprises a means for culturing the cell population enriched for leukocytes.

15. The device according to claim 14 , wherein the means for culturing comprises:

a vessel having a first port and a second port;

a monocytic dendritic cell precursor adhering substrate, the substrate in fluid communication with the first port and the second port;

a screen for retaining the substrate within the vessel, the screen having a pore size sufficient to allow passage of monocytic dendritic cell precursors and dendritic cells therethrough;

a drain line in fluid communication with the first port; and

a collection line in fluid communication with the first port.

16. The device according to claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of fluid sources in fluid communication with the first port or the second port.

17. The device according to claim 15 , further comprising a sealable tissue culture vessel adapted to aseptically receive the monocytic dendritic cell precursors.

18. The device according to claim 17 , wherein the sealable tissue culture vessel is a tissue culture bag, flask or bioreactor.

19. The device according to claim 15 , wherein the fluid sources comprise binding media, washing buffer and elution buffer.

20. The device according to claim 15 , further comprising a pump in fluid communication with the plurality of fluid sources and the first port.

21. The device according to claim 15 , further comprising: a temperature control means to maintain the substrate at a predetermined temperature.

22. The device according to claim 21 , wherein the temperature controlling means is a heater.

23. A tangential flow device for enriching a cell population comprising a sample of blood constituents for leukocytes, comprising:

a remover unit comprising a cross-flow chamber ( 3 ) and a filtrate chamber ( 4 ) separated by a filter ( 5 ), wherein the cross-flow chamber ( 3 ) has an inlet ( 6 ) and an outlet ( 7 ), the outlet centrally disposed in an upper portion of the chamber, and wherein the inlet is disposed above the filter and introduces fluid into the cross-flow chamber substantially parallel to the filter;

a means for providing a predetermined input rate ( 14 ) of the cell population comprising the sample through the cross-flow chamber inlet; and

a means for reducing a filtration rate ( 15 ) through the filter; wherein the filter has a pore size of about 3 microns to about 7 microns; and whereby the cell population comprising the sample is enriched for leukocytes in a retentate in the cross-flow chamber.

24. A tangential flow device for enriching cell population comprising a sample comprising blood constituents for leukocytes, comprising:

a remover unit ( 1 ) having a cross-flow chamber ( 3 ) and a filtrate chamber ( 4 ) separated by a filter ( 5 ), the cross-flow chamber having an inlet ( 6 ) and an outlet ( 7 ), the outlet disposed above the inlet and centrally disposed in an upper portion of the chamber, and wherein the filter is disposed below and substantially parallel to the cross-flow chamber inlet;

means for providing a predetermined input rate ( 14 ) of the sample through the cell population comprising the sample through the cross-flow chamber inlet;

means for providing a predetermined filtration rate ( 15 ) of the fluid through the filter, wherein the predetermined filtration rate is about one-fifth to about one one-hundredth of the predetermined input rate; and

means for providing a predetermined concentration of blood cells in the sample, wherein the predetermined concentration of blood cells is about 10 7 to about 10 10 cells per milliliter;

wherein the filter has pores having a pore size of about 3 microns to about 7 microns; and

whereby the sample is enriched for leukocytes in a retentate in the cross-flow chamber.

25. A method for separating leukocytes from a cell population comprising a sample of blood constituents from a subject wherein the sample comprises leukocytes, the method comprising:

(1) introducing the sample into a remover unit wherein the remover unit comprises a cross-flow chamber, a filtrate chamber and a filter disposed therebetween, the filter having a retentate surface and a filtrate surface, the filter in fluid communication with the cross-flow chamber and the filtrate chamber; the cross-flow chamber having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet disposed to introduce the cell population comprising the sample of blood constituents comprising the leukocytes from a source into the cross-flow chamber and parallel to the retentate surface of the filter, and the outlet centrally disposed in a portion of the cross-flow chamber opposite the filter retentate surface;

(2) subjecting the sample to cross-flow substantially parallel to a filter having a pore size of about 1 to about 10 microns;

(3) subjecting the fluid to filtration through the filter; and

(4) selectively removing non-leukocyte blood constituents from the sample through the filter and removing the leukocytes through the centrally disposed outlet to form a cell population enriched for leukocytes.

26. The method according to claim 25 , further comprising:

preparing the sample from the subject by leukopheresis, density centrifugation, differential lysis, filtration, or preparation of a buffy coat, for introduction in the remover unit.

27. The method according to claim 25 , wherein the non-leukocyte blood constituents include plasma and platelets.

28. The method according to claim 25 , wherein the non-leukocyte blood constituents include erythrocytes.

29. The method according to claim 25 , wherein the leukocytes comprise monocytes.

30. The method according to claim 25 , further comprising repeating steps (1), (2), and (3) at least two times to form cell population enriched for leukocytes.

31. The method according to claim 25 , wherein the enriched cell population comprises at least about 20% leukocytes.

32. The method according to claim 25 , wherein the enriched cell population comprises at least about 60% leukocytes.

33. The method according to claim 25 , further comprising inducing a vortex motion of the sample in the cross-flow chamber.

34. The method according to claim 25 , further comprising washing the cell population enriched for leukocytes with a wash solution.

35. A method for enriching a cell population comprising a sample of blood constituents for leukocytes, comprising:

(1) introducing the cell population comprising the sample into a tangential flow filtration (TFF) unit, the TFF unit comprising a cross-flow chamber, a filtrate chamber, and a filter in fluid communication with the cross-flow chamber and the filtrate chamber, the filter having a retentate surface and a filtrate surface, the cross-flow chamber having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet disposed to introduce the cell population comprising the sample of blood constituents comprising leukocytes from a source into the cross-flow chamber and parallel to the retentate surface of the filter, and the outlet centrally disposed in a portion of the cross-flow chamber opposite the filter retentate surface; the filter having a pore size of about 1 to about 10 microns;

(2) recirculating the sample through the TFF unit at a predetermined input rate and a predetermined filtration rate, the predetermined input rate at least five times the predetermined filtration rate; wherein the predetermined filtration rate is less than the unopposed filtration rate for the filter; and

(3) isolating a cell population enriched for leukocytes through the outlet centrally disposed in the portion of the cross-flow chamber opposite the filter retentate surface.

36. The method according to claim 35 , wherein the enriched cell population is substantially free of non-leukocyte blood constituents.

37. The method according to claim 36 , wherein the non-leukocyte blood constituents include erythrocytes.

38. The method according to claim 35 , further comprising:

collecting blood from a subject and preparing the sample from the blood by leukopheresis, density centrifugation, differential lysis, filtration, or preparation of a buffy coat.

39. The method according to claim 35 , wherein the non-leukocyte blood constituents include plasma and platelets.

40. The method according to claim 35 , wherein the leukocytes comprise monocytes.

41. The method according to claim 35 , wherein the enriched cell population comprises at least about 20% leukocytes.

42. The method according to claim 35 , wherein the enriched cell population comprises at least about 60% leukocytes.

43. The method according to claim 35 , wherein the sample flows in a vortex motion in the cross-flow chamber.

44. The method according to claim 35 , further comprising washing the enriched cell population with a wash solution.

45. The method according to claim 35 , wherein the filter has a pore size of about 3 to about 5.5 microns.