TISSUE FIXATION WITH CROSS-LINKING COMPOUNDS

摘要

Crosslinking to prepare fixed tissue or to crosslink modification molecules to tissue is carried out with an apparatus and method wherein diffusion through a semipermeable is used to provide a selected molecular weight distribution of oligomers of a crosslinking compound that polymerizes spontaneously in solution to produce oligomers such as glutaraldehyde. The membrane has a molecular weight exclusion limit that prevents oligomers above a certain molecular weight from passing. Tissues treated with the size selected oligomers have improved properties. In the apparatus, the membrane separates a solution containing the crosslinking compound and oligomers from a solution in which crosslinking is carried out. The selected molecular weight distribution of oligomers diffuses through the membrane into the solution where tissue is crosslinked or a beneficial molecule is crosslinked to tissue.