Patent ID: 7790039

Claim:
A method for separating stem cells from a sample from a subject wherein the sample comprises stem cells and non-stem cell constituents wherein the non-stem cells constituents can include cell population which have essentially the same size as the stem cells, the method comprising separation on a tangential flow filtration device by: (i) pretreating the sample to induce cell shrinkage of cell populations with essentially the same size as the stem cells; (ii) introducing the sample into a remover unit ( 1 ) comprising a cross-flow chamber ( 3 ) through an inlet ( 6 ) in the remover unit; (iii) subjecting the sample to cross-flow substantially parallel to a filter ( 5 ) having a pore size of about 1 to about 10 microns; and (iv) selectively removing non-stem cell constituents from the sample to form a cell population enriched for stem cells.