Common Cell Types: Polypeptides for use in pharmaceutical applications are mainly produced in mammalian cells such as CHO cells, NSO cells, Sp2/0 cells, COS cells, HEK cells, BHK cells, PER.C6® cells and the like (WO 2009/010269). Recombinant therapeutic proteins are commonly produced in several mammalian host cell lines including murine myeloma NSO and Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells (WO 2008/091740) and (Van Reis, “Bioprocess membrane technology, Science 297 (2007) 16-50) . 

Cell Growth mediums: 

A mammalian cell culture begins with a mammalian tissue. The tissue is dissociated either mechanically or enzymatically or by a combination of the two to yield a mixture of single cells and small clups of cells. The mixture is inoculated into an appropriate liquid growth medium that ordinarly includes salts, glucose, certain amino acids, vitamin and blood serum (about 20% of the medium). The serum is included as a means of providng components that have not all been identified but are needed if the cells are to live and grow.

Fetal calf serum (FCS) is considered the best available serum for this purpose.

Cohn Fractions:  MacLeod (EP0440509 A2) discloses growth medium components which when added to cell growth media can be used as a replacement for FCS. The medium is free from active virsues and essentially immunogloublin free. MacLeod also describes a process for producing the medium using Cohn fractions, adjusting the pH to 7-8, adding polyethylene glycol and then diluting the resultant liquid with water or a suitable buffered saline. Subsequently the resultant solution is pasteurised by heating.

Mouse bone marrow/GM-CSF:

When suspensions of mouse bone marrow are cultured in the presence of GM-CSF, 3 types of myeloid cells expand in numbers (a) neutrophils predominate but do not adhere to the culture surface. (b) Macrophages are firmly adherent to the culture vessel. (c) dendritic cells arise from cellular aggregates that are attached to the marrow stroma. The aggregates become covered with sheet-like cell processes and eventually release typical single dendritic cells.

Production of Antibodies in cell culture (see antibody production)