[Defined media for hybridoma culture: do they really replace serum and why are they attractive?].

The cell culture efficiency of serum free media is still the main question which limits the use of such a product. However, the experience due to a long usage of serum free media allows to certify that for hybridomas the proliferation growth is often similar to the levels attained with serum. Antibodies secretion is also good or superior to the one obtained with classical media used in different culture devices like flasks and cytocultures. Finally the higher purity degree of monoclonal antibodies in the cell culture supernatant is also a major advantage of serum free media.