Increasing serum concentrations decrease cell death and allow growth of hybridoma cells at higher agitation rates

Abstract

Hybridoma cells CRL-8018 were grown in a well controlled 1.2 l bioreactor at high agitation rates (220 rpm) with fetal bovine serum (FBS) concentrations varying between 1% and 10%. No net growth was observed at FBS concentrations below 5%, while higher FBS concentrations allowed faster growth. The inferred death rate shows a continuous decrease with FBS concentrations. 10% FBS allows cell growth even at 280 rpm in our bioreactor. A simple model is proposed for the quantitative description of the FBS effect on cell growth and death.