Serum-free media for a human lymphocyte cell line and for pwm-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes: requirements for insulin, transferrin and albumin.

Two simple chemically defined media are reported to support cell proliferation of a human lymphocyte cell line and of mitogenically (PWM) stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes. The medium in the former instance is Ham's F12 supplemented with insulin, transferrin, albumin and cholesterol. In the latter case, RPMI 1640 supplemented with insulin, transferrin and albumin was found to support cell proliferation as well as fetal calf serum. There was no apparent cell cycle specificity observed for the mode of action of insulin and transferrin. A comparison of the two defined media showed that the one for the cell line was more enriched for lipids and lipid precursors.