A microtiter method for long-term in vitro maintenance of human monocyte.

A microtiter method is described for long-term maintenance of human monocytes in culture with intact functional and morphological characteristics. This micromethod is the adaptation of our previously reported method which required large volume of blood. The micromethod relies on the use of microexudate plate (pregrown with BHK cells) and the two phases of adherence and maintenance culture. The purity of cultured cells approaches 100% and the yield is 50-70%. As many as 24 experiments and controls can be done on 20 ml of blood drawn.