A SERUM-FREE MEDIUM FOR HUMAN PRIMARY T-LYMPHOCYTE CULTURE

This paper describes a defined serum-free medium (SFM), designated A-X , which supports in vitro proliferation of human primary T cells stimu lated with mitogens, two-way mixed leukocyte reactions, anti-CD3, and a superantigen. A-X is a 1:1 mixture of two commercially available SFM , AIM V and EX-CELL 300. In each assay tested it supported uptake of [ H-3]thymidine as well as or better than the standard culture medium, n amely RPMI 1640 supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum. A-X also allow ed the detection of interleukin-2 by ELISA at levels comparable to tho se produced in serum-supplemented medium. A-X will likely be useful in further studies as it eliminates many of the problems usually associa ted with the use of serum-supplemented media.