In vitro production of high titre monoclonal antibody by hybridoma cells in dialysis culture

Relatively high levels of nutrients and low levels of waste products were maintained in cultures of hybridoma cells by dialysis against growth medium supplemented with fetal calf serum (FCS). This resulted in a greater than ten fold increase in cell density and monoclonal antibody titre compared to conventional batch cultures. Exclusion of FCS from the dialysing growth medium resulted in cell death, indicating that a low molecular weight serum component was necessary for growth. This study indicates that nutrient depletion limits hybridoma cell growth in conventional batch culture and also provides a simple and economical means of producing relatively high titre monoclonal antibody in vitro.