Patent ID: 7776021

Claim:
An apparatus for the filtration of small molecules, comprising a) first polymer substrate, wherein the first polymer substrate comprises a microvascular network for circulation of fluid longitudinally through the first polymer substrate, the microvascular network comprised of acellular microchannels that are about 5 μm to about 100 μm in height, and that begin at one or more inlets, serially branch into a large array of microchannels, and then converge back into one or more microchannels at one or more outlets; b) a second polymer substrate, wherein the second polymer substrate comprises acellular fluidic chambers; and c) a semi-permeable membrane disposed between the first and second polymer substrates; wherein the first and second polymer substrates are fastened together about the semi-permeable membrane, and, wherein small molecules are filtered from fluid in the microvascular network of the first polymer substrate through the semi-permeable membrane to the acellular fluidic chambers of the second polymer substrate.