Patent ID: 8491561

Claim:
An apparatus which duplicates the functionality of a physiological system, comprising: a) a first mold defining upper and lower surfaces, wherein the lower surface of the first mold includes acellular microchannels formed thereon to create a microvascular network for circulation of fluids, wherein the acellular microchannels begin at one or more inlets, serially branch into a large array of acellular microchannels, and then converge back into one or more acellular microchannels at one or more outlets; b) a second mold defining upper and lower surfaces, wherein the upper surface of the second mold includes acellular fluidic microchannels formed thereon; and c) a semi-permeable membrane defining an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the upper surface of the membrane is secured adjacent to the lower surface of the first mold and the lower surface of the membrane is secured adjacent to the upper surface of the second mold, wherein small molecules are filtered from fluid in the microvascular network of the first mold through the semi-permeable membrane to the acellular fluidic chambers of the second mold.