International Conference on Intensifying Proceedings of Biomaterial Processings. Sinaia, Romania (August 20-23, 2007)

MAGNETOPHORETIC BEHAVIOUR OF A PANCREATIC CELL SUSPENSION
B. Kashevskii, A. Zholud, V. Goranov, and A. Prokhorov

Medical technologies of cell transplantation depend on the progress of cell separation. The existing procedures are based on the difference of cells in bulk density and in receptor markers. The latter has found application in immunomagnetic separation of cells which is based on binding the cells to be separated to magnetic nanoparticle. This method is potentially damaging, costly, and it involves essential loss of specialized cells and a drop in viability of a sowing material. An example is the process of an enzymatic disintegration of specialized tissues for deriving functional cells, in particular, pancreatic cells. Due to impossibility to separate the completely disintegrated fraction from the reactor it is necessary, to preserve its functionality, to terminate the process of fermentation at early stages, thus losing considerable portion of functional cells in clusters with tissues and fibroblasts.

The ultimate goal of our studies is to increase the efficiency and purity of differentiation of beta cells from cell suspensions intended for cultivation and transplantation, making use of the difference of cell magnetic properties. The method of direct magnetic separation has principal advantages because it does not affect cells in any dangerous way. The present state-of-the-art concerning the direct magnetic separation of cells is rather superficial. The red blood cell represents a single instance which has aroused a noticeable interest.