Membranes in artificial organs.

Membrane processes by a pivotal and enabling role in modern replacement therapy for acute and chronic organ failure and in the management of immunologic diseases. In fact, virtually all contemporary extra-corporeal blood purification methods employ membrane devices, and the next generation of artificial organs and tissue engineering therapies are almost certain to be similarly grounded in membrane technology. In this short essay, we comment on the similarities and differences among synthetic membranes and their natural counterparts and also provide a critical overview of the demographics and technology of hemodialysis, hemofiltration, apheresis, oxygenation, and emerging membrane technologies and applications.