Development of a Photoactivated Respiratory Support Device

描述（由申请人提供）：在自然界中，光到能量的光解转化是驱动化学反应的常见机制。例如，光合作用利用来自阳光的能量来促进植物中的关键代谢过程，同时将氧气交换为二氧化碳。这项研究的目的是应用这些物理原理来创建一个由耐用的仿生材料组成的人工系统，旨在复制正常的呼吸功能。尽管在过去的20年里，医疗保健领域取得了巨大的进步，但对终末期肺病患者的护理却几乎没有实质性的改善。虽然大多数主要疾病的死亡率大幅下降，但与慢性肺病有关的死亡率在此期间实际上有所上升。因此，长期以来，人们一直对开发替代严重病变肺的技术感兴趣。由于所提出的技术直接从全血的含水量产生氧气，因此它避免了对气液扩散膜、加压气体和气瓶的需要，同时保留了红细胞快速捕获和运输溶解氧的能力的全部益处。我们的初步数据已经证明了在流过微通道系统的血液中进行光催化呼吸的能力，微通道系统在结构和功能上与肺毛细血管相似。本提案的总体目标是建立在这种初步经验的基础上，以便开发能够进行由微流体提供动力的人工呼吸的微流体规模的装置。因此，我们的具体目标包括以下内容：具体目标1：开发光解活性2D微流体装置。具体目标2：开发金属氧化物薄膜，增强光催化剂的溶解氧通量并减少副产物二氧化碳。具体目标3：确定微流体毛细管系统和光敏组件的基本生物相容性。预计该器械在临床竞技场的成功应用将对大量患有呼吸衰竭的儿童和成人的发病率、死亡率和生活质量产生重大影响，并建立生物医学技术的创新领域。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In nature, the photolytic conversion of light to energy is a common mechanism for driving chemical reactions. As an example, photosynthesis utilizes energy derived from sunlight to promote key metabolic processes in plants, while exchanging oxygen for carbon dioxide. The purpose of the proposed research is to apply these physical principals to create an artificial system, composed of durable biomimetic materials, designed to replicate normal respiratory function. Despite vast improvements across the spectrum of health care in the past 20 years, there have been few substantial improvements in the care of patients with end- stage lung disease. While the death rate for most major diseases has decreased significantly, the rate of death related to chronic lung disease has actually increased during this period. As a result there has long been interest in the development of technology to replace severely diseased lungs. Since the proposed technology generates oxygen directly from the water content of whole blood, it avoids the need for gas-to- liquid diffusion membranes, pressurized gas, and gas cylinders, while retaining the full benefit of the red blood cell's ability to rapidly capture and transport dissolved oxygen. Our preliminary data has demonstrated the capacity to carry out photocatalytic respiration in blood flowing through a microchannel system, which is structurally and functionally similar to pulmonary capillaries. The overall goal of this proposal is build on this preliminary experience in order to develop a microfluidic scale device capable of carrying out artificial respiration powered by photocatalysis. Accordingly, our Specific Aims include the following: Specific Aim 1: Develop a photolytically active 2D microfludic device. Specific Aim 2: Develop metal oxide thin films with enhanced dissolved oxygen flux from the photocatalyst and reduced by-product carbon dioxide. Specific Aim 3: Determine basic biocompatibility of the microfluidic capillary system and photoactive components. It is anticipated that the successful implementation of this device in the clinical arena will have significant impact on the morbidity, mortality, and quality of life for the large number of children and adults with respiratory failure, as well as establishing an innovative realm of biomedical technology.