Cell Collection Device

Abstract

A cell collection device is provided that can improve the efficiency of cell collection work and homogenize cells. [Solution] The cell collection device 10 has a cell adsorption filter 65, a filter accommodating section 60 having at least one upstream port located upstream of the cell adsorption filter 65 and at least one downstream port located downstream of the cell adsorption filter 65, at least one upstream bag connectable to the upstream port and at least one downstream bag connectable to the downstream port, and has a frame 70 that maintains the positions of the upstream bag and downstream bag relative to the filter accommodating section 60.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cell collection device. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, umbilical cord stem cells have been collected and preserved. For example, in the method described in Patent Document 1, umbilical cord blood is first collected from the umbilical cord in a blood bag, and the blood is sampled and tested. Next, an erythrocyte sedimenting agent is added to the blood, which is then centrifuged and the red blood cell components are removed using a separation stand. Next, the blood is centrifuged again, and the plasma components are removed using a separation stand. Next, a cryoprotectant is added to the remaining buffy coat, and the cells are transferred to a cryopreservation bag for preservation. Most of the steps involved in this process are performed manually. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-199256 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The total processing time for collecting umbilical cord stem cells described above takes approximately six hours. These procedures are cumbersome and require a certain level of skill on the part of the operator.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cell collection device that can improve the efficiency of the cell collection operation and achieve homogenization. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The above object can be achieved by the invention described in (1) below. (1) The cell collection device of the present invention is characterized by having a cell adsorption filter, a filter accommodating section having at least one upstream port located upstream of the cell adsorption filter and at least one downstream port located downstream of the cell adsorption filter, at least one upstream bag connectable to the upstream port, and at least one downstream bag connectable to the downstream port, and having a frame that maintains the positions of the upstream bag and the downstream bag relative to the filter accommodating section. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The cell collection device described in (1) above allows the upstream bag and downstream bag to be connected to the filter housing and maintained in appropriate positions by the frame. Therefore, the cell collection device allows for easy operation of supplying cell-containing blood, detachment solution, etc. from the upstream bag to the filter housing via the upstream port, passing the blood through the cell adsorption filter in the filter housing, and then collecting the blood into the downstream bag via the downstream port. Therefore, the cell collection device allows for cell collection simply by connecting the upstream bag and downstream bag to the filter housing. Therefore, the cell collection device can improve the efficiency of cell collection operations. Furthermore, the cell collection device eliminates the need for operations that depend on individual skill, thereby promoting uniformity of operations.

[0008] (2) The cell collection device described in (1) above includes a collection bag for containing collected blood, a blood collection bag for collecting blood that has passed through the cell adsorption filter, a detachment solution-containing bag for containing a detachment solution that detaches cells from the cell adsorption filter, and a cell collection bag for collecting cells detached from the cell adsorption filter together with the detachment solution, wherein the collection bag is the upstream bag, the blood collection bag is the downstream bag, and one of the detachment solution-containing bag or the cell collection bag is the upstream bag and the other is the downstream bag. This allows blood containing cells to be supplied from the collection bag with the collection bag connected to the upstream port and the blood collection bag connected to the downstream port, and after the cells are adsorbed by the cell adsorption filter, the blood from which the cells have been removed by the cell adsorption filter can be collected in the blood collection bag. Then, with the detachment solution-containing bag connected to one of the upstream port or the downstream port and the cell collection bag connected to the other, the detachment solution can be supplied from the detachment solution-containing bag, and the detachment solution that has passed through the cell adsorption filter can be collected in the cell collection bag together with the cells.

[0009] (3) In the cell collection device described in (1) or (2) above, the upstream port and the downstream port may be located on opposite sides of the cell adsorption filter. By positioning the cell collection device so that the upstream port is on the upper side and the downstream port is on the lower side, blood and detachment solution can be moved by gravity from the upstream port through the cell adsorption filter to the downstream port.

[0010] (4) In the cell collection device described in any one of (1) to (3) above, the frame may be formed of a sheet-like member that covers the upstream bag, the downstream bag, and the filter accommodating unit. This allows the cell collection device to easily connect the upstream bag, the downstream bag, and the filter accommodating unit to the sheet-like frame and maintain them in appropriate positions.

[0011] (5) In the cell collection device described in any one of (1) to (3) above, the upstream bag may have a rigidity that allows it to maintain its position relative to the filter accommodating unit when connected to the upstream port, the downstream bag may have a rigidity that allows it to maintain its position relative to the filter accommodating unit when connected to the downstream port, and the frame may be formed by the connected filter accommodating unit, the upstream bag, and the downstream bag. This allows the cell collection device to maintain the upstream bag, the downstream bag, and the filter accommodating unit in appropriate positions due to their rigidity.

[0012] (6) The cell collection device according to any one of (1) to (5) above may have an opening / closing unit that can open and close the flow path between the upstream bag and / or the downstream bag and the filter housing unit, thereby enabling the cell collection device to adjust the flow of fluids, etc. between each bag and the filter housing unit to a desired state at a desired timing.

[0013] (7) In the cell collection device described in (6) above, the opening / closing part may be opened and closed depending on the orientation relative to the direction of gravity. This allows the opening / closing part to be automatically opened when the cell collection device is suspended and the opening / closing part assumes a predetermined orientation, improving operability.

[0014] (8) In the cell collection device according to any one of (1) to (7) above, the upstream bag and / or the downstream bag may be detachable from the upstream port and / or the downstream port. This allows the upstream bag and / or the downstream bag to be detachable from the filter housing section as needed, improving workability. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a cell collection device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 2A and 2B are cross-sectional views taken along the line AA in FIG. 1, where (A) shows a first example and (B) shows a second example. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating the process of adsorbing umbilical cord stem cells from umbilical cord blood using the cell adsorption filter of the cell collection device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating the operation of detaching umbilical cord stem cells adsorbed to the cell adsorption filter of the cell collection device according to the first embodiment using a detachment solution. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a cell collection device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the assembled state of the cell collection device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating the process of adsorbing umbilical cord stem cells from umbilical cord blood using a cell adsorption filter of a cell collection device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating the operation of detaching umbilical cord stem cells adsorbed to a cell adsorption filter of a cell collection device according to a second embodiment using a detachment solution. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a modified example of the cell collection device according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the dimensional proportions in the drawings may be exaggerated for the sake of convenience and may differ from the actual proportions. Furthermore, in this specification and drawings, components having substantially the same functional configurations are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0017] First Embodiment As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a cell collection device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is a device for collecting umbilical cord blood, separating umbilical cord stem cells from the collected umbilical cord blood, and collecting them in a predetermined bag.

[0018] The cell collection device 10 includes a collection bag 20, a blood collection bag 30, a detachment solution containing bag 40, a cell collection bag 50, a filter containing section 60, and a frame 70.

[0019] The bag-like portions that form the storage spaces of the collection bag 20, blood collection bag 30, detachment solution storage bag 40, and cell collection bag 50 are formed by overlapping two flexible sheets of sheet material and fusing the overlapping edges. Examples of the material for the sheet material include polyvinyl chloride and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer. The configuration of the collection bag 20, blood collection bag 30, detachment solution storage bag 40, and cell collection bag 50 is not particularly limited as long as they are bag-shaped.

[0020] Collection bag 20 is a bag for storing cord blood collected from the umbilical cord. Collection bag 20 has first storage section 21, blood collection tube 22, blood collection needle 23, first transfer tube 24, and first opening / closing section 25 (opening / closing section).

[0021] The first storage section 21 is a bag-shaped section having a space for storing cord blood. The first storage section 21 contains an anticoagulant that suppresses blood coagulation. The first storage section 21 has a variable thickness and is formed in a substantially quadrangular (approximately square) shape parallel to a reference plane M perpendicular to the thickness direction Z, but the shape is not limited thereto. The first storage section 21 has a capacity of approximately 300 mL, but is not limited thereto. The blood collection tube 22 is a tube for guiding collected cord blood to the first storage section 21 and is connected to the first storage section 21. The blood collection needle 23 is a hollow needle connected to the end of the blood collection tube 22. The blood collection needle 23 can be inserted into, for example, an umbilical vein to collect cord blood. The blood collection needle 23 is preferably protected by a removable cover or the like.

[0022] First transfer tube 24 is a tube that connects first storage portion 21 and filter storage portion 60 in order to transfer cord blood from first storage portion 21 to filter storage portion 60. First transfer tube 24 may be formed integrally with first storage portion 21 using the two film materials that form first storage portion 21, or may be formed using other tube materials.

[0023] The first open / close unit 25 is disposed midway along the first transfer tube 24. The first open / close unit 25 is, for example, a clamp that can open and close the passage by pressing the first transfer tube 24 from the outside. The first open / close unit 25 may be a Click Chip (registered trademark) that can open the flow path by breaking it. In this case, the first open / close unit 25 has a breakable plug disposed within the flow path. The flow path that was closed by the plug can be opened by bending and breaking the plug from the outside. The click chip cannot re-close the flow path. For this reason, when a click chip is used as the first open / close unit 25, a tube sealer or clamp that can close the flow path by heating may be used in combination. The first open / close unit 25 may also be disposed not midway along the first transfer tube 24, but at the end of the first transfer tube 24 or on the side of the filter accommodating unit 60 to which the first transfer tube 24 is connected.

[0024] The blood collection bag 30 is a bag that contains the remaining blood after umbilical cord stem cells have been removed from the umbilical cord blood. The blood collection bag 30 has a second storage section 31, a second transfer tube 32, a second opening / closing section 33 (opening / closing section), and a blood discharge port 34.

[0025] The second storage section 31 is a bag-like section having a space for storing blood from which umbilical cord stem cells have been removed. The second storage section 31 has a variable thickness and is formed in a substantially quadrangular (approximately square) shape parallel to a reference plane M perpendicular to the thickness direction Z, but the shape is not limited thereto. The second storage section 31 preferably has a capacity similar to that of the first storage section 21, and has a capacity of approximately 300 mL, but is not limited thereto.

[0026] Second transfer tube 32 is a tube that connects second storage section 31 and filter storage section 60 in order to receive blood from filter storage section 60 from which umbilical cord stem cells have been removed and transfer the blood to second storage section 31. Second transfer tube 32 may be formed integrally with second storage section 31 using the two film materials that form second storage section 31, or may be formed using other tube materials.

[0027] The second opening and closing unit 33 is disposed midway along the second transfer tube 32. The second opening and closing unit 33 may have the same configuration as the first opening and closing unit 25.

[0028] The blood discharge port 34 is a port that can discharge the blood contained in the second container 31. The blood discharge port 34 is, for example, a sampling port. Note that the blood discharge port 34 does not necessarily have to be provided.

[0029] The detachment solution containing bag 40 is a bag that previously contains a detachment solution for detaching umbilical cord stem cells adsorbed to the cell adsorption filter 65 from the cell adsorption filter 65. The detachment solution containing bag 40 has a third storage section 41, a third transfer tube 42, and a third opening / closing section 43 (opening / closing section).

[0030] The third storage section 41 is a bag-shaped section having a space for storing the detachment solution. The detachment solution is stored inside the third storage section 41 in advance. The third storage section 41 has a variable thickness and is formed in a substantially quadrangular (approximately square) shape parallel to a reference plane M perpendicular to the thickness direction Z, but the shape is not limited thereto. The third storage section 41 preferably has a capacity capable of storing the detachment solution necessary to detach the umbilical cord stem cells adsorbed to the cell adsorption filter 65, for example, a capacity of approximately 300 mL, but is not limited thereto.

[0031] The third transfer tube 42 is a tube that connects the third storage section 41 and the filter storage section 60 in order to transfer the stripping liquid to the filter storage section 60. The third transfer tube 42 may be formed integrally with the third storage section 41 using the two film materials that form the third storage section 41, or may be formed using another tube material.

[0032] The third opening and closing unit 43 is disposed midway along the third transfer tube 42. The configuration of the third opening and closing unit 43 can be the same as that of the first opening and closing unit 25.

[0033] The cell collection bag 50 is a bag that contains umbilical cord stem cells detached from the cell adsorption filter 65. The cell collection bag 50 has a fourth storage section 51, a fourth transfer tube 52, a fourth opening / closing section 53 (opening / closing section), and a cell discharge port 54.

[0034] The fourth storage section 51 is a bag-shaped section having a space for storing blood from which umbilical cord stem cells have been removed. The fourth storage section 51 preferably contains a cryoprotectant solution to prevent cryodamage when the collected cells are frozen. The fourth storage section 51 has a variable thickness and is formed in a substantially quadrangular (approximately square) shape parallel to a reference plane M perpendicular to the thickness direction Z, but the shape is not limited thereto. The fourth storage section 51 preferably has a capacity similar to that of the third storage section 41, for example, a capacity of approximately 300 mL, but is not limited thereto.

[0035] Fourth transfer tube 52 is a tube that connects fourth storage section 51 and filter storage section 60, and is used to transfer the liquid containing umbilical cord stem cells detached by the detachment solution from filter storage section 60 to fourth storage section 51. Fourth transfer tube 52 may be formed integrally with fourth storage section 51 using the two film materials that form fourth storage section 51, or may be formed using other tube materials.

[0036] The fourth opening and closing unit 53 is disposed midway along the fourth transfer tube 52. The fourth opening and closing unit 53 may have the same configuration as the first opening and closing unit 25.

[0037] The cell discharge port 54 is a port that can discharge the liquid containing umbilical cord stem cells contained in the fourth container 51. The cell discharge port 54 is, for example, a sampling port. The cell discharge port 54 does not necessarily have to be provided.

[0038] The filter accommodating section 60 has a first port 61 connected to the first transfer tube 24, a second port 62 connected to the second transfer tube 32, a third port 63 connected to the third transfer tube 42, a fourth port 64 connected to the fourth transfer tube 52, a cell adsorption filter 65 that adsorbs umbilical cord stem cells, and a filter passage 66 having an internal space for holding the cell adsorption filter 65. The filter accommodating section 60 has a predetermined thickness and is formed in a substantially quadrangular (approximately square) shape on a reference plane M perpendicular to the thickness direction Z. However, the shape of the filter accommodating section 60 is not limited thereto. The first port 61 and the second port 62 of the filter accommodating section 60 are disposed at diagonal corners of the rectangle, and the third port 63 and the fourth port 64 are disposed at diagonal corners of the rectangle at positions different from the first port 61 and the second port 62. Two ports arranged diagonally at the corners of the filter housing portion 60 are separated by the filter material of the cell adsorption filter 65 and are connected to different compartments.

[0039] 2(A), the cell adsorption filter 65 is arranged in the filter passage 66 parallel to the reference plane M so as to divide the filter passage 66 in the thickness direction Z into an upstream passage 67 and a downstream passage 68. The upstream passage 67 communicates with upstream ports (first port 61 and third port 63) arranged offset to one side in the thickness direction Z, and the downstream passage 68 communicates with downstream ports (second port 62 and fourth port 64) arranged offset to the other side in the thickness direction Z.

[0040] 2(B), the cell adsorption filter 65 may be disposed in the filter passage 66 at an angle to the reference plane M. This allows the first port 61 and the third port 63 communicating with the upstream passage 67 and the second port 62 and the fourth port 64 communicating with the downstream passage 68 to be disposed at positions that are substantially aligned in the thickness direction Z. This makes it easy to position the ports 61, 62, 63, and 64 relative to the frame 70.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 1 , the frame 70 collectively houses the collection bag 20, blood collection bag 30, detachment solution containing bag 40, cell collection bag 50, and filter housing unit 60. The frame 70 surrounds the peripheries of the four bags 20, 30, 40, and 50, maintaining them in a generally rectangular shape. The filter 65 is positioned at the center of the frame. The frame 70 is not directly connected to the cell adsorption filter 65, but can control the position of the cell adsorption filter 65 relative to the frame 70. The frame 70 is formed by sandwiching the collection bag 20, blood collection bag 30, detachment solution containing bag 40, cell collection bag 50, and filter housing unit 60, which are aligned parallel to the reference plane M, between two flexible sheets of material and fusing the overlapping peripheries of the sheets. The two flexible sheets may also be fused at overlapping portions other than the peripheries. The frame 70 may also be fused or glued to the collection bag 20, blood collection bag 30, detachment solution containing bag 40, cell collection bag 50, and filter housing 60. The frame 70 and the various bags 20, 30, 40, and 50 may be integrally formed by fusing two flexible sheets of material. The frame 70 is formed in a substantially quadrangular (approximately square) shape on a reference plane M perpendicular to the thickness direction Z. The frame 70 can stably hold the collection bag 20, blood collection bag 30, detachment solution containing bag 40, cell collection bag 50, and filter housing 60. The frame 70 may have at least one cutting aid 71, such as a perforation, formed on the edge of the substantially quadrangular shape to support cutting. The cutting aid 71 is formed, for example, between adjacent bags. The sheet material of the frame 70 may be made of, for example, polyvinyl chloride or ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer. The frame 70 may not be made of a flexible sheet material, but may be made of a member having a certain degree of thickness and high rigidity so as to be less likely to bend.

[0042] Furthermore, a hanging port 72 is formed at each of the four corners of the frame 70. It is preferable that the frame 70 is formed at least at the corners near the upstream bags, i.e., the corners near the blood collection bag 30 and the corners near the stripping solution containing bag 40.

[0043] Next, a method of using the cell collection device 10 according to the first embodiment will be described.

[0044] First, the worker inserts the blood collection needle 23 into the umbilical vein while keeping the first opening / closing part 25 closed. At this time, the first storage part 21 is positioned below the blood collection needle 23. As a result, the cord blood collected from the blood collection needle 23 passes through the blood collection tube 22 by gravity and is stored in the first storage part 21 of the collection bag 20. After the blood collection is completed, the worker closes the blood collection tube 22 with a tube sealer, clamps, or the like.

[0045] Next, as shown in FIG. 3 , the operator hangs the cell collection device 10 by the hanging port 72 near the collection bag 20. This positions the collection bag 20 at the top, and the blood collection bag 30 at the bottom, sandwiching the filter housing portion 60 between them. The operator then opens the second opening / closing portion 33, while keeping the first opening / closing portion 25, the third opening / closing portion 43, and the fourth opening / closing portion 53 closed. Next, the operator opens the first opening / closing portion 25. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , this causes the cord blood contained in the first housing portion 21 of the collection bag 20 to flow through the first transfer tube 24 and the first port 61 into the upstream passage 67 of the filter housing portion 60. The cord blood then passes through the cell adsorption filter 65 to reach the downstream passage 68, and is collected into the second housing portion 31 of the blood collection bag 30 through the second port 62 and the second transfer tube 32. Umbilical cord stem cells contained in the cord blood are adsorbed by the cell adsorption filter 65 as they pass through.

[0046] Next, the operator closes the first opening / closing unit 25 and the second opening / closing unit 33 and hangs the cell collection device 10 by the hanging opening 72 near the detachment solution storage bag 40, as shown in FIG. 4 . As a result, the detachment solution storage bag 40 is positioned at the top, and the cell collection bag 50 is positioned at the bottom, sandwiching the filter storage unit 60 between them. Then, the operator opens the third opening / closing unit 43 and the fourth opening / closing unit 53 while keeping the first opening / closing unit 25 and the second opening / closing unit 33 closed. This causes the detachment solution stored in the third storage unit 41 of the detachment solution storage bag 40 to flow through the third transfer tube 42 and the third port 63 into the upstream passage 67 of the filter storage unit 60. The detachment solution then passes through the cell adsorption filter 65 to reach the downstream passage 68, and is collected in the fourth storage unit 51 of the cell collection bag 50 through the fourth port 64 and the fourth transfer tube 52. The umbilical cord stem cells adsorbed to the cell adsorption filter 65 are detached from the cell adsorption filter 65 by the detachment solution as the detachment solution passes through the cell adsorption filter 65, and are collected together with the detachment solution in the fourth storage section 51. If the stem cells are adsorbed to the filter surface of the cell adsorption filter 65, it is also possible to pass the detachment solution through the downstream passage 68 and collect them in the upstream passage 67. For this reason, the third transfer tube 42 of the detachment solution storage bag 40 may be connected to the fourth port 64, which is a downstream port communicating with the downstream passage 68, and the fourth transfer tube 52 of the cell collection bag 50 may be connected to the third port 63, which is an upstream port communicating with the upstream passage 67.

[0047] Next, the worker closes the third opening / closing part 43 and the fourth opening / closing part 53. After this, the worker uses the cutting assist part 71 to break the frame 70 as needed, removes the cell collection device 10 from the filter housing part 60, and removes the blood collection device from the filter housing part 60. At this time, the second transfer tube 32 and the fourth transfer tube 52 may be securely closed with a tube sealer or the like.

[0048] As described above, the cell collection device 10 according to the first embodiment comprises a cell adsorption filter 65, a filter housing 60 having at least one upstream port (first port 61 and third port 63) located upstream of the cell adsorption filter 65 and at least one downstream port (second port 62 and fourth port 64) located downstream of the cell adsorption filter 65, at least one upstream bag (collection bag 20 and detachment solution housing bag 40) connectable to the upstream port, and at least one downstream bag (blood collection bag 30 and cell collection bag 50) connectable to the downstream port, and a frame 70 that maintains the positions of the upstream bag and downstream bag relative to the filter housing 60. This allows the cell collection device 10 to connect the upstream bag and downstream bag to the filter housing 60 and maintain them in appropriate positions by the frame 70. Therefore, the cell collection device 10 makes it easy to supply cell-containing blood, detachment solution, etc. from an upstream bag to the filter housing 60 via the upstream port, pass the blood through the cell adsorption filter 65 of the filter housing 60, and then collect the blood into the downstream bag via the downstream port. Therefore, the cell collection device 10 can eliminate the need for multiple centrifugations and the labor of reconnecting blood bags, thereby improving the efficiency of cell collection. Furthermore, the cell collection device 10 can eliminate the need for tasks that depend on individual skill, such as the use of a separation stand, thereby improving the quality of the work.

[0049] The cell collection device 10 also has a collection bag 20 that contains collected blood, a blood collection bag 30 that collects blood that has passed through the cell adsorption filter 65, a detachment solution-containing bag 40 that contains a detachment solution that detaches cells from the cell adsorption filter 65, and a cell collection bag 50 that collects the cells detached from the cell adsorption filter 65 together with the detachment solution, wherein the collection bag 20 is an upstream bag, the blood collection bag 30 is a downstream bag, and one of the detachment solution-containing bag 40 or the cell collection bag 50 is an upstream bag and the other is a downstream bag. Thus, with the collection bag 20 connected to the upstream port and the blood collection bag 30 connected to the downstream port, blood containing cells can be supplied from the collection bag 20, the cells can be adsorbed by the cell adsorption filter 65, and the blood from which the cells have been removed by the cell adsorption filter 65 can be collected in the blood collection bag 30. Then, with the detachment liquid containing bag 40 connected to one of the upstream port or the downstream port and the cell collection bag 50 connected to the other, the detachment liquid is supplied from the detachment liquid containing bag 40, and the detachment liquid that has passed through the cell adsorption filter 65 can be collected in the cell collection bag 50 together with the cells.

[0050] The upstream port and downstream port are located on opposite sides of the cell adsorption filter 65. By positioning the cell collection device 10 so that the upstream port is on the upper side and the downstream port is on the lower side, blood and detachment liquid can be moved by gravity from the upstream port through the cell adsorption filter 65 to the downstream port.

[0051] Furthermore, the frame 70 is formed of a sheet-like member that covers the upstream bag, the downstream bag, and the filter accommodating section 60. This allows the cell collection device 10 to easily connect the upstream bag, the downstream bag, and the filter accommodating section 60 to the sheet-like frame 70 and maintain them in appropriate positions.

[0052] Furthermore, the cell collection device 10 has an opening / closing unit that can open and close the flow path between the upstream bag and / or downstream bag and the filter housing unit 60. This allows the cell collection device 10 to adjust the flow of fluids, etc. between each bag and the filter housing unit 60 to a desired state at a desired timing.

[0053] Second Embodiment As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the cell collection device 10 according to the second embodiment of the present invention differs from the first embodiment in that it does not have a frame structure separate from the collection bag 20, blood collection bag 30, detachment solution containing bag 40, cell collection bag 50, and filter containing section 60.

[0054] Unlike the first embodiment, in which the first storage section 21 of the collection bag 20, the second storage section 31 of the blood collection bag 30, the third storage section 41 of the stripping solution storage bag 40, and the fourth storage section 51 of the cell collection bag 50 are made of sheet material, these are formed with a predetermined storage space therein and a certain degree of rigidity so that they can maintain their shape by themselves. Each bag may have a hanging opening 72.

[0055] The first transfer tube 24 of the collection bag 20 protrudes from the first storage portion 21 and can be connected by inserting it into the first port 61 of the filter storage portion 60. The first transfer tube 24 and the first port 61 form a lock connector that can be connected aseptically, for example, by an inserting action. The first transfer tube 24 and the first port 61 are preferably connectors that communicate when connected and close the flow path when separated (e.g., a ChemoSafe lock connector manufactured by Terumo Corporation). Therefore, the first transfer tube 24 and the first port 61 form an opening / closing portion that can open and close the flow path. The first port 61 may have an internal valve that is expanded and opened when the first transfer tube 24 is inserted and closed when the first transfer tube 24 is pulled out. When the first transfer tube 24 and the first port 61 are connected, the collection bag 20 can stably maintain its position relative to the filter storage portion 60.

[0056] The second transfer tube 32 of the blood collection bag 30 protrudes from the second housing portion 31 and can be connected by inserting it into the second port 62 of the filter housing portion 60. The structures of the second transfer tube 32 and the second port 62 are similar to the structures of the first transfer tube 24 and the first port 61.

[0057] The third transfer tube 42 of the stripping solution containing bag 40 protrudes from the third containing portion 41 and can be connected by being inserted into the third port 63 of the filter containing portion 60. The structures of the third transfer tube 42 and the third port 63 are similar to the structures of the first transfer tube 24 and the first port 61.

[0058] The fourth transfer tube 52 of the cell collection bag 50 protrudes from the fourth storage section 51 and can be connected by being inserted into the fourth port 64 of the filter storage section 60. The structures of the fourth transfer tube 52 and the fourth port 64 are similar to the structures of the first transfer tube 24 and the first port 61.

[0059] In the cell collection device 10 according to the second embodiment, the collection bag 20, blood collection bag 30, detachment solution containing bag 40, cell collection bag 50, and filter housing unit 60 can be connected so as to maintain their relative positions. Therefore, a substantially rectangular frame defined by the peripheries of the collection bag 20, blood collection bag 30, detachment solution containing bag 40, cell collection bag 50, and filter housing unit 60 forms a frame 70 (see the dashed line in FIG. 6 ). Furthermore, as in the modified example of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 9 , the frame 70 that detachably houses the collection bag 20, blood collection bag 30, detachment solution containing bag 40, cell collection bag 50, and filter housing unit 60 may be provided as a separate structure. The frame 70 may be a single substantially rectangular member or may be divided into multiple members (e.g., a first member 73 and a second member 74).

[0060] Next, a method of using the cell collection device 10 according to the second embodiment will be described.

[0061] First, the operator inserts the blood collection needle 23 into the umbilical vein without connecting the collection bag 20 to the filter housing portion 60. At this time, the first housing portion 21 is positioned below the blood collection needle 23. As a result, the cord blood collected from the blood collection needle 23 passes through the blood collection tube 22 by gravity and is stored in the first housing portion 21 of the collection bag 20. After the blood collection is completed, the operator closes the blood collection tube 22 with a tube sealer or the like.

[0062] Next, as shown in FIG. 7 , the operator inserts and connects the first transfer tube 24 of the collection bag 20 to the first port 61 of the filter housing portion 60, and inserts and connects the second transfer tube 32 of the blood collection bag 30 to the second port 62 of the filter housing portion 60. Next, the operator hangs the cell collection device 10 by the hanging opening 72 of the collection bag 20. This positions the collection bag 20 at the top, and the blood collection bag 30 at the bottom, sandwiching the filter housing portion 60 between them. This causes the cord blood contained in the first housing portion 21 of the collection bag 20 to flow through the first transfer tube 24 and the first port 61 into the upstream passage 67 of the filter housing portion 60. The cord blood then passes through the cell adsorption filter 65 to reach the downstream passage 68, and is collected into the second housing portion 31 of the blood collection bag 30 through the second port 62 and the second transfer tube 32. Umbilical cord stem cells contained in the cord blood are adsorbed by the cell adsorption filter 65 as they pass through.

[0063] Next, as shown in FIG. 8 , the operator removes the collection bag 20 and the blood collection bag 30 from the filter housing portion 60. Next, the operator inserts and connects the third transfer tube 42 of the detachment solution storage bag 40 to the third port 63 of the filter housing portion 60, and inserts and connects the fourth transfer tube 52 of the cell collection bag 50 to the fourth port 64 of the filter housing portion 60. Next, the operator hangs the cell collection device 10 by the hanging port 72 of the detachment solution storage bag 40. As a result, the detachment solution storage bag 40 is positioned above, and the cell collection bag 50 is positioned below, sandwiching the filter housing portion 60 between them. As a result, the detachment solution stored in the third housing portion 41 of the detachment solution storage bag 40 flows through the third transfer tube 42 and the third port 63 into the upstream passage 67 of the filter housing portion 60. The detachment solution then passes through cell adsorption filter 65 to reach downstream passage 68, and is collected into fourth storage section 51 of cell collection bag 50 through fourth port 64 and fourth transfer tube 52. The umbilical cord stem cells adsorbed to cell adsorption filter 65 are detached from cell adsorption filter 65 by the detachment solution as it passes through cell adsorption filter 65, and are collected into fourth storage section 51 together with the detachment solution.

[0064] Next, the operator removes the detachment solution containing bag 40 and the cell collection bag 50 from the filter containing section 60. This completes the operation.

[0065] The work may be performed with the four bags 20, 30, 40, and 50 connected to the four ports 61, 62, 63, and 64. In this case, it is preferable to use a structure such as a check valve structure that does not allow liquid to pass in a direction perpendicular to the direction of gravity, as in the first embodiment.

[0066] As described above, in the cell collection device 10 according to the second embodiment, the upstream bags (collection bag 20 and detachment solution containing bag 40) have a rigidity that allows them to maintain their position relative to the filter accommodating section 60 when connected to the upstream ports (first port 61 and third port 63), and the downstream bags (blood collection bag 30 and cell collection bag 50) have a rigidity that allows them to maintain their position relative to the filter accommodating section 60 when connected to the downstream ports (second port 62 and fourth port 64), and the frame 70 is formed by the connected filter accommodating section 60, upstream bag, and downstream bag. This allows the cell collection device 10 to maintain the upstream bag, downstream bag, and filter accommodating section 60 in appropriate positions due to their rigidity.

[0067] Furthermore, the upstream bag and / or the downstream bag can be attached to and detached from the upstream port and / or the downstream port, which allows the cell collection device 10 to attach and detach the upstream bag and / or the downstream bag to and from the filter accommodating section 60 as needed, improving operability.

[0068] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art within the technical spirit of the present invention. For example, in the first and second embodiments, the detachment solution-containing bag 40 is connected to the upstream passage 67, and the cell collection bag 50 is connected to the downstream passage 68. However, the detachment solution-containing bag 40 may be connected to the downstream passage 68, and the cell collection bag 50 may be connected to the upstream passage 67. In the second embodiment, there may be one upstream port communicating with the upstream passage 67, and one downstream port communicating with the downstream passage 68. In this case, the collection bag 20 and the detachment solution-containing bag 40 (or the cell collection bag 50) are connected to a common upstream port. Furthermore, the blood collection bag 30 and the cell collection bag 50 (or the detachment solution-containing bag 40) are connected to a common downstream port.

[0069] The opening / closing unit may also have a structure that opens and closes depending on the orientation relative to the direction of gravity. For example, the opening / closing unit may be a pressure valve that closes until the pressure reaches a predetermined value and opens when the pressure reaches or exceeds the predetermined value. In this case, when the collection bag 20 or the detachment solution storage bag 40 is positioned above the opening / closing unit, the pressure in the opening / closing unit increases, allowing the opening / closing unit to open. This allows the cell collection device 10 to automatically open the opening / closing unit when the opening / closing unit assumes a predetermined orientation, for example, when the device is hung, thereby improving operability.

[0070] Furthermore, the collection bag 20, blood collection bag 30, detachment solution containing bag 40, cell collection bag 50, and filter containing section 60 may be integrally formed by welding the overlapping portions of two sheets of sheet material.

[0071] Furthermore, the collected blood is not limited to umbilical cord blood, and the collected cells are not limited to umbilical cord stem cells. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 10 Cell collection device 20 Collection bag (upstream bag) 25 First opening and closing section 30 Blood collection bag (downstream bag) 33 Second opening and closing section 40 Stripping solution storage bag (upstream bag) 43 Third opening and closing section 50 Cell collection bags (downstream bags) 53 4th opening and closing section 60 Filter housing 61 First port (upstream port) 62 Second port (downstream port) 63 Third port (upstream port) 64 4th port (downstream port) 65 Cell Adsorption Filter 70 frames

Claims

1. a filter housing unit having a cell adsorption filter, at least one upstream port located upstream of the cell adsorption filter, and at least one downstream port located downstream of the cell adsorption filter; at least one upstream bag connectable to the upstream port; at least one downstream bag connectable to the downstream port; A cell collection device comprising a frame for maintaining the positions of the upstream bag and the downstream bag relative to the filter housing portion.

2. a collection bag for containing the collected blood; a blood collection bag for collecting blood that has passed through the cell adsorption filter; a detachment solution containing bag for containing a detachment solution for detaching cells from the cell adsorption filter; a cell collection bag for collecting the cells detached from the cell adsorption filter together with the detachment solution, the collection bag is the upstream bag; the blood collection bag is the downstream bag; The cell collection device according to claim 1 , wherein one of the detachment solution containing bag and the cell collection bag is the upstream bag, and the other is the downstream bag.

3. The cell collection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the upstream port and the downstream port are located on opposite sides of the cell adsorption filter.

4. 3. The cell collection device according to claim 1, wherein the frame is formed of a sheet-like member that covers the upstream bag, the downstream bag, and the filter housing portion.

5. the upstream bag has rigidity that allows it to maintain its position relative to the filter accommodating portion when connected to the upstream port; the downstream bag has rigidity that allows it to maintain its position relative to the filter accommodating portion when connected to the downstream port; 3. The cell collection device according to claim 1, wherein the frame is formed by the filter housing portion, the upstream bag, and the downstream bag, which are connected together.

6. 3. The cell collection device according to claim 1, further comprising an opening / closing part that can open and close a flow path between the upstream bag and / or the downstream bag and the filter housing part.

7. The cell collection device according to claim 6 , wherein the opening and closing section opens and closes depending on the orientation relative to the direction of gravity.

8. The cell collection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the upstream bag and / or the downstream bag are detachable from the upstream port and / or the downstream port.

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