title: Urease loaded alginate microspheres for blood purification.
abstract: In this paper a device, based on urease-loaded microspheres, is presented. The first task of this work was the optimization of a procedure for the alginate microspheres realization, having a radius as close as possible to the optimal one necessary to achieve the maximum enzyme exploitation. This optimal radius was calculated theoretically through a mathematical model which describes the concentration of substrate (urea) inside the microspheres on the assumption of a diffusion-reaction mechanism. The enzyme-loaded microspheres were successfully tested in a prototypal device aimed at the depletion of urea from a circulating fluid simulating blood flow: the results showed that urea concentration in the circulating fluid drops down to less than 25% of the initial value after 5 h.
authors.affiliation: CRIM Lab, Center for Research In Microengineering, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio, 34-56025 Pontedera (PI), Italy. g.ciofani@sssup.it
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciofani
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Cascone
authors.forename: Lorenzo Pio
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Serino
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lazzeri
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D004800:Enzymes, Immobilized / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D008863:Microspheres; D010316:Particle Size; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D014510:Urease / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004800:Enzymes, Immobilized; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D014508:Urea; D014510:Urease