Mass Transfer Limitations to the Performance of Membrane Bioartificial Liver Support Devices

Abstract

A number of membrane bioartificial devices have been proposed for liver support. However, their design does not yet ensure the successful treatment of acute liver insufficiency. In this paper, the Author reviews the limitations of the mass transport phenomena to the performance of a membrane bioartificial liver support device. First of all the requirements that an optimal membrane bioartificial liver support device has to meet for the therapy to be effective are presented. On these grounds, the issues that are still to be addressed to optimize the performance of such devices are discussed: particular attention is devoted to the mass transport phenomena in each region of the membrane bioartificial device. Finally, the main transport features of the membrane bioartificial liver support devices proposed so far are illustrated and examined.

Hemoglobin Regulates the Metabolic, Synthetic, Detoxification, and Biotransformation Functions of Hepatoma Cells Cultured in a Hollow Fiber Bioreactor

“…[1][2][3][4] It is well known that O 2 is sparingly soluble in the aqueous medium (*0.2 mmol/L at 1 atm air, 378C). As a result, the cell culture medium in most cell culture systems need to be oxygenated to supraphysiological levels (>160 mm Hg) to deliver enough O 2 to cultured cells, which results in a portion of the cultured cells being exposed to hyperoxic conditions.…”

Model-Based Optimization of Scaffold Geometry and Operating Conditions of Radial Flow Packed-Bed Bioreactors for Therapeutic Applications

“…In this paper, a model reference framework is proposed to help designers of rPBBs optimize their geometry and operation to meet given therapeutic requirements. The framework is based on the model described by Equations (1)- (9) in which the pseudo steady-state transport of momentum and dissolved oxygen across an annular cell-seeded construct is described according to the Darcy and the dispersion-convection-reaction equation, respectively. The dimensionless groups determining the actual dissolved oxygen concentration profile in the construct and the performance of the rPBB were obtained by dimensional analysis of Equations (1)- (9) and are shown in Table 1.…”

“…Metabolic soluble species are generally supplied in the culture medium. To reach the cells anywhere in the construct, such solutes have to be transported external to the construct (i.e., from the medium bulk to the construct outer surface) and inside the construct (i.e., from its outer surface to the innermost regions) across the cell mass [9]. Pure diffusive transport in static bioreactors ensures dissolved oxygen and nutrients supply only to a distance about 100 μm away from the construct outer surface, it subjects cells to oxygen and nutrients concentrations largely varying in space (e.g., across the construct), and ultimately limits the realization of clinical-scale 3D cell constructs [10][11][12][13][14].…”

Long-Term Extracorporeal Bilirubin Elimination: A Case Report on Cascade Resin Plasmaperfusion

“…A major concern regarding this approach is that these cells derive from malignant cell lines with tumourigeneic potential. However, clinical studies to evaluate the efficiency and side effects of BLSD have mostly yielded unsatisfactory results [32][33][34][35]. The only study until now demonstrating encouraging results with the use of a porcine hepatocyte BLSD was reported by Watanabe et al [36] and will be followed by a randomized controlled prospective multicentre trial (phase II-III).…”