Electrochemical Gas Generator for High-Density Cell Implants
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cellular implant devices face challenges in efficiently delivering oxygen to high-density cell implants, leading to necrotic cores and reduced therapeutic efficacy due to limitations in nutrient diffusion, particularly oxygen availability, which affects cell viability and function.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising an electrochemical device, such as an electrolyzer or oxygen concentrator, integrated with a cell containment subsystem, utilizing semipermeable membranes to deliver oxygen and hydrogen gases directly to the cells, enhancing oxygenation and supporting high-density cell implants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If cells are implanted at high density to increase therapeutic efficacy, then the therapeutic effect is improved, but oxygen delivery becomes insufficient leading to necrotic cores and reduced cell viability
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary oxygen generation and delivery to the cell implant site before the cells would otherwise become hypoxic. The electrochemical device continuously generates oxygen and delivers it through the semipermeable membrane enclosure, preventing necrotic core formation before it occurs, thereby maintaining cell viability at high implant densities
Solution Approach 2:
The semipermeable membrane enclosure acts as an intermediary between the electrochemical oxygen generation system and the cell implant. It selectively allows oxygen and reactants to pass through while maintaining the integrity of the cell containment environment, enabling high-density cell implantation without compromising oxygen supply
2Quantity of substance
If a large form factor device is used to supply gases and nutrients by diffusion, then gas delivery capacity is improved, but the device size increases and cell density must be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces passive diffusion-based gas delivery with an electrochemical oxygen generation system. The electrochemical device actively generates oxygen through water electrolysis, eliminating the need for large reservoirs or complex delivery mechanisms, thereby achieving high gas delivery capacity in a compact form factor
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the fundamental parameter of oxygen delivery from diffusion-based (passive) to electrochemical generation (active). This parameter change enables sufficient oxygen supply to high-density cell implants without requiring large device dimensions, as the electrochemical reaction produces oxygen directly at the implant site
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system maintains normal or near-normal blood glucose levels in diabetic models for extended periods, demonstrating the effectiveness of enhanced oxygen delivery in supporting cell viability and function, even at high islet densities.
Implementation Method 1
an electrochemical device, the electrochemical device being configured to output a first gas
Implementation Method 2
the semipermeable membrane enclosure being constructed to allow for passage therethrough of reactant needed by the electrochemical device
Data Source
AI summary
System for gas treatment of cellular implants. The system enhances the viability and function of cellular implants, particularly those with high cellular density, for use in human or veterinary medicine. The system utilizes a miniaturized electrochemical gas generator subsystem that continuously supplies oxygen and/or hydrogen to cells within an implantable and immunoisolated cell containment subsystem to facilitate cell viability and function at high cellular density while minimizing overall implant size. The cell containment subsystem is equipped with features to allow gas delivery through porous tubing or gas-only permeable internal gas compartments within the implantable cell containment subsystem. Furthermore, the gas generator subsystem includes components that allow access to water for electrolysis while implanted, thereby promoting long-term implantability of the gas generator subsystem. An application of the system is a pancreatic islet (or pancreatic islet analogue) implant for treatment of Type 1 diabetes (T1D) that would be considered a bio-artificial pancreas.