LABORATORY-SCALE PRODUCTION OF MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES IN A TUMBLING CHAMBER

A simple device for laboratory scale production of monoclonal antibodi es has been developed. Hybridomas were cultured in four individual dia lysis tubes containing 40-50 ml medium with 10% foetal calf serum, sur rounded by 1.5-2 litres supply medium without any serum supplement. On ce placed on a roller the special design of the apparatus leads to an eccentric rotation, thus keeping the cells in a stable homogeneous sus pension. The system is automatically gassed, and this makes long term cultivation possible. Several hybridomas were tested over a culture pe riod of at least 3 weeks, with supply medium changes every 3-4 days. C ell densities of up to 2.5 x 10(7)/ml and antibody concentrations of 0 .3-1.9 mg/ml after purification were obtained. Results with this in vi tro system allow a complete renunciation of the established in vivo me thod. The so called 'tumbling chamber' apparatus is easy to handle and to sterilize, is economic and universally adaptable in any research l aboratory.