Feasibility of a photosynthetic artificial lung.
The success of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for the treatment of acute respiratory failure has led to consideration of the development of a more portable, and perhaps even implantable, artificial lung. The authors suggest a bioregenerative life support system that includes a photo-synthetic organism that can remove CO2 and produce O2 in the presence of an energy source. To build a model of such a photosynthetic artificial lung, the photosynthetic capability of a high temperature strain of the algae Chlorella pyrenoidosa was maximized at a cell density of 25 million cells/ml to serve as the O2 producer and CO2 remover. The "patient" in this model was comprised of 1 L of medium or 350 ml of blood, interfaced with the photosynthetic system across a gas transfer membrane. The experiments demonstrated the ability of the plant cells to supply O2 and remove CO2 from the "patient" with a maximum rate of 0.55 mmoles/L/hr under the most favorable measured operating conditions. The projected rate of 1.0 mmoles/L/hr required for physiologic applications is not totally ab absurd idea, with a slightly modified set-up. Modifications may be in the form of regulating the photosynthetic pathway or genetically engineering a hybrid strain with enhanced O2 producing and suppressed photoinhibition capacity.
Basu-Dutt
S
S
Chemistry Department, State University of West Georgia, Carrollton, USA.
Fandino
M R
MR
Salley
S O
SO
Thompson
I M
IM
Whittlesey
G C
GC
Klein
M D
MD
D001187:Artificial Organs / Q000592:standards*; D019149:Bioreactors; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D002452:Cell Count; D002708:Chlorella / Q000502:physiology; D003470:Culture Media; D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D008168:Lung; D008954:Models, Biological; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D010788:Photosynthesis; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange / Q000502:physiology; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000628:therapy*; D013696:Temperature
D003470:Culture Media; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D010100:Oxygen