Apparatus for enhanced recovery of regenerative cells from tissue sample

Abstract

This document describes methods and an apparatus for recovery of a cell-enriched matrix and cells (e.g., regenerative cells) from a tissue sample. In some embodiments, at least two rounds of acceleration and deceleration are performed.

1 . Apparatus for recovering regenerative cells from body tissue, comprising (i) at least one container to receive a sample of the body tissue and a proteolytic enzyme in an aqueous medium, and (ii) a centrifuge for a tissue processing unit adapted to receive the container therein, said centrifuge including a rotor adapted to retain the container at an angle thereto such that one end of the container is located closer to the axis of the rotor than the other end thereof, said other end being elevated relative to said one end, the centrifuge being programmable to subject the container to repeated rounds of accelerating and decelerating the container under rotational forces so as to agitate the contents of the container under conflicting centrifugal and gravitational forces over a period of time sufficient to release regenerative cells from the tissue. 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , including a heater for maintaining the temperature of the tissue processing unit interior, and thereby of the container, in a range from 26° C. to 42° C. during acceleration and deceleration of the container. 
     
     
         3 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the centrifuge is programmable to accelerate and decelerate the container through more than one round thereof per minute. 
     
     
         6 .- 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . Apparatus for an automated tissue processing unit for isolating regenerative cells from a sample of body tissue, comprising at least one mount configured for detachable retention of a respective container of the tissue sample on an axle, a motor for controllably rotating the axle through repeated start and stop cycles to subject each container mounted on the axle to rotational forces for repetitive rounds of acceleration and deceleration of each container, wherein the mounting of each container is such that the contents thereof are subjected to conflicting centrifugal and gravitational forces, whereby to enhance agitation of the tissue sample in each container during said repetitive rounds for a sufficient interval of time to dissociate regenerative cells from each tissue sample. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further including a thermal device for maintaining each container of the automated tissue processing unit at a temperature in a range from about 26° C. to about 42° C. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said mount is adapted to position the respective container retained thereby at an upwardly extending acute angle between a horizontal plane through the axle and a vertical orientation of the axle, so as to create the conflicting centrifugal and gravitational forces on said contents of the container during said repetitive rounds. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the motor is controllable to rotate the tissue sample container through at least one round of acceleration and deceleration per minute. 
     
     
         14 . Apparatus for processing body tissue to recover cells from a sample of body tissue, comprising a centrifuge having a rotor for mounting a container for a tissue sample for processing thereof; a centrifuge motor for rotating the container, when mounted on the rotor, through repeated start and stop cycles to subject the container to repetitive rounds of rotational acceleration and deceleration thereof in a temperature-controlled environment for at least one round per minute of the acceleration and deceleration, over a time interval sufficient to dissociate cells from a tissue sample when contained in the container; wherein the rotor mounting is arranged to direct centrifugal force on contents of the container mounted thereon opposite the direction of gravitational force on the contents. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said rotor mounting is one of (i) a fixed angle and (ii) an angle that varies with rotational force on the container when mounted on the rotor, the respective angle being acute and projecting upwardly from one end of the container mounted closer to the axis of the rotor than the other end of the container. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , including a plurality of said rotor mountings to retain respective ones of said containers thereon. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein said rotor mounting comprises a fixed chamber constituting said container.