Loredana De Bartolo, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy; Efrem Curcio, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy; Enrico Drioli, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy.

1. Natural and Synthetic Membranes

Biomedical Polymers

Preparation Techniques

Membrane Configurations

Characterization of Membrane Properties

Sterilization Procedures

2. Basic Issues in Membrane Separation for Biomedical Devices

Driving Forces in Molecular Separation

Transport through Microporous Membranes

Transport through Dense Membranes

Performance Parameters

3. Membrane Artificial Organs

Bioengineering Principles

Hemodialyser

Hemofilters

Plasmafilters

Blood Oxygenator

4. Biocompatibility Assessment

Membrane Trombogenicity

Complement Activation

Activation of Leukocytes

Inflammation Reaction

Bioincompatibility Aspects

5. Engineering of Membrane Biohybrid Organs

Modelling of Mass Transfer

Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis

Analysis of Metabolic Kinetics

Configuration of Membrane Devices

6. Membrane Biohybrid Organs

Design Concepts

Liver

Pancreas

Kidney

Lung

Cardio-vascular devices

7. Citocompatibility Assessment

Cell Response

Protein Adsorption

Cell-Membrane Interactions

Role of Membrane Properties on Cell Arrangement and Organization

Evaluation of Tissue Compatibility

8. Regulatory and Ethical Issues

Regulatory of Biomedical Membrane Devices

Ethical Issues

Membrane processes today play a signifi cant role in the replacement therapy for acute and chronic organ failure diseases. Current extracorporeal blood purifi cation and oxygenation devices employ membranes acting as selective barriers for the removal of endogeneous and exogeneous toxins and for gas exchange, respectively. Additionally, membrane technology offers new interesting opportunities for the design of bioartificial livers, pancreas, kidneys, lungs etc.

This book reviews the latest developments in membrane systems for bioartificial organs and regenerative medicine, investigates how membrane technology can improve the quality and efficiency of biomedical devices, and highlights the design procedures for membrane materials covering the preparation, characterization, and sterilization steps as well as transport phenomena. The different strategies pursued for the development of membrane bioartifi cial organs, including crucial issues related to blood/cell-membrane interactions are described with the aim of opening new and exciting frontiers in the coming decades.

The book is a valuable tool for tissue engineers, clinicians, biomaterials scientists, membranologists as well as biologists and biotechnologists. It is also a source of reference for students, academic and industrial researchers in the topic of biotechnology, biomedical engineering, materials science and medicine.