Effect of low serum concentrations (0%–2.5%) on growth, production, and shear sensitivity of hybridoma cells

Abstract

In a stirred culture of hybridoma cells, the effects of serum reduction from 2.5% to 0% on growth and monoclonal antibody porduction have been investigated. The shear sensitivity of cells from the same culture has been tested in a bubble column. Serum reduction does not greatly affect viable‐cell concentrations, but cell specific monoclonal‐antibody production rate shows a decreasing trend. A gradual increase in sensitivity for sparging, which is nor the result of a long‐term biological effect, has beeen measured in a bubble column at decreasing fetal calf serum concentrations. Finally, the hypothetical killing‐volume model describing the death rate of insect cells in bubble columns has now been completely validated for the pertinent hybridoma‐cell line. Copyright © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.