ISOLATED ADULT CELLS, ARTIFICIAL ORGANS, REHABILITATED ORGANS, RESEARCH TOOLS, ORGAN ENCASEMENTS, ORGAN PERFUSION SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR PREPARING AND UTILIZING THE SAME
One aspect of the invention provides a method for harvesting adult cells from an organ. The method includes perfusing the organ with a perfusate and isolating adult cells from the organ, thereby harvesting the adult cells from the organ. Another aspect of the invention provides a method for rehabilitating an organ. The method includes: dividing the organ into a first portion and a second portion, perfusing the first portion with a decellularization medium, isolating adult cells from the second portion, and recellularizing the first portion with a suspension of the adult cells, thereby rehabilitating the organ.
1 . A method for harvesting adult cells from an organ, the method comprising:
perfusing the organ with a perfusate; and
isolating adult cells from the organ;
thereby harvesting the adult cells from the organ.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the organ is a mammalian organ.
3 . The method claim 2 , wherein the organ is a human organ.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the organ is a liver.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the adult cells are selected from the group consisting of: hepatocytes, endothelial cells, cholangiocytes (bile duct cells), Kupffer cells, stellate cells, and smooth muscle cells.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the organ is one selected from the group consisting of: pancreas, spleen, heart, lung, and kidney.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the organ is ischemic.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the perfusate includes one or more oxygen carriers.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more oxygen carriers include erythrocytes.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the perfusate includes one or more antiinflammatory agents.
11 . The method claim 10 , wherein the one or anti-inflammatory agents includes hydrocortisone.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the perfusate includes collagenase.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the perfusate is a normothermic perfusate.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the perfusate is a room temperature perfusate.
15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the perfusate is a hypothermic perfusate.
16 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising culturing the harvested adult cells.
17 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing the organ.
18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of isolating the adult cells from the organ includes filtering the perfusate.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the filtering the perfusate step including filtering the perfusate through one or more mesh filters.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the one or more mesh filters have pore sizes ranging from about 1 μm to about 1000 μm.
21 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of isolating the adult cells from the organ includes performing density centrifugation on the perfusate.
22 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising circulating the perfusate through a dialyzer.
23 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the organ is a damaged organ.
24 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the perfusion step improves the vitality of the adult cells.
25 - 171 . (canceled)