Patent ID: 7214544

Claim:
A method of separating whole blood, comprising: providing a container having a flexible top sheet, a fluid receiving port, a fluid discharge port, and a plurality of compartments fluidly coupled to at least one of the fluid receiving port and the fluid discharge port, and wherein at least two of the plurality of compartments are in fluid communication with the fluid discharge port; introducing a continuous flow of whole blood into the fluid receiving port while at the same time emitting a continuous flow of processed whole blood that is at least partially depleted of a target antigen; wherein the target antigen is separated from the whole blood within at least one of the plurality of compartments using a magnetic force and an automatic mechanical force, wherein at least one of the magnetic force and automatic mechanical force is transmitted though the flexible top sheet; wherein at least one of the compartments further comprises a plurality of magnetic beads that carry an affinity marker that binds the target antigen; wherein a plurality of actuators in a device retaining the container compress at least some of the compartments in a predetermined manner to thereby move the whole blood and the processed whole blood through the plurality of compartments; and wherein the entire container is flexible and fabricated from a flexible top sheet and a flexible bottom sheet.