Cell culture on beads used for the industrial production of foot-and-mouth disease virus.

The microcarrier culture technique has been applied to a pig kidney cell line. Microcarriers consisted of DEAE Sephadex A 50 beads washed and containing carboxymethyl cellulose. Sifted beads gave better results than unclassified material. Cells for inoculum were prepared in Roux flasks. The two types of fermentors which were used (operating capacity 100 l and 150 l) gave similar results. The growth of the cells can easily be followed by microscopic observation and cell count. The yields of cells per volume of spent medium were three times higher on microcarrier than in Roux bottles; the average doubling time was not modified. Foot-and-mouth disease virus can be produced with cells grown on beads. Vaccines prepared with these viruses induced good protection for pigs.