Dialyzable serum components can support the growth of hybridoma cell lines in vitro.

Conditions are defined for the in vitro growth of antibody producing hybrid myeloma cell lines in an immediate environment free of non-dialyzable serum components. Continuous access to low molecular weight serum growth factors was critical to the maintenance of cell viability and antibody production. This requirement was met by use of two-chambered Marbrook vessels, whose geometry allows a small chamber containing metabolically active cells to communicate through a dialysis membrane with a large adjacent reservoir filled with serum-supplemented medium. This tissue culture technique permits the rapid isolation of proteins secreted by cells in vitro, and should permit the further definition of minimal nutritional requirements for the growth of differentiated cells in vitro.