Skip to main content
Log in

Basal medium development for serum-free culture: a historical perspective

  • Published:
Cytotechnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The evolution of basal synthetic formulations to support mammalian cell culture applications has been facilitated by the contributions of many investigators. Definition of minimally-required nutrient categories by Harry Eagle in the 1950's spawned an iterative process of continuous modification and refinement of the exogenous environment to cultivate new cell types and to support emerging applications of cultured mammalian cells. Key historical elements are traced, leading to the development of high potency, basal nutrient formulations capable of sustaining serum-free proliferation and biological production. Emerging techniques for alimentation of fed batch and continuous perfusion bioreactors, using partial nutrient concentrates deduced from spent medium analysis, can enhance medium utilization and bioreactor productivity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barnes D and Sato G (1980) Serum-free Cell Culture: A Unifying Approach. Cell 22: 649.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bibila TA, Ranucci CS, Glazomitsky K, Buckland BC and Aunins JG (1994) Monoclonal Antibody Process Development using Medium Concentrates. Biotechnol Prog 10: 87–96.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bottenstein J, Hayashi I, Hutchings S, Masui H, Mather J, McClure D, Ohasa S, Rizzino A, Sato G, Serrero G, Wolfe R and Wu R (1979) The Growth of Cells in Serum-Free Hormone Supplemented Media in WB Jakoby and IH Pastan (eds), Methods in Enzymology, vol. 58, pp. 94–109, Academic (New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Dulbecco R and Freeman G (1959) Plaque Production by the Polyoma Virus. Virology 8: 396–397.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eagle H (1955) Nutrition Needs of Mammalian Cells in Tissue Culture. Science 122: 501–504

    Google Scholar 

  • Eagle H (1959) Amino Acid Metabolism in Mammalian Cell Cultures. Science 130: 432–437.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fike R, Kubiak J, Price P and Jayme D (1993) Feeding Strategies for Enhanced Hybridoma Productivity: Automated Concentrate Supplementation. BioPharm 6: 49–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gruber DF and Jayme DW (1994) Cell and Tissue Culture Media: History and Terminology, in Cell Biology: A Laboratory Handbook, vol. 3, pp. 451–458, Academic (New York). Ham RG (1982) Importance of the Basal Nutrient Medium in the Design of Hormonally Defined Media, in Growth of Cells in Hormonally Defined Media, vol. 9A, pp. 39–60, Cold Spring Harbor Conferences on Cell Proliferation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ham RG (1965) Clonal Growth of Mammalian Cells in a Chemically-Defined, Synthetic Medium. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 53: 288–293.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ham RG (1984) Formulation of Basal Nutrition Media, in DW Barnes, DA Sirbasku and GH Sato (eds.) Methods for Preparation of Media, Supplements, and Substrata for Serum-Free Animal Cell Culture, Cell Culture Methods for Molecular and Cell Biology, vol. 1, Liss (New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Iscove NN (1984) Culture of Lymphocytes and Haemopoietic Cells in Serum-Free Medium in DW Barnes, DA Sirbasku and GH Sato (eds.), Methods for Preparation of Media, Supplements, and Substrata for Serum-Free Animal Cell Culture, Cell Culture Methods for Molecular and Cell Biology, vol. 1, Liss (New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Jayme DW and Blackman KE (1985) Culture Media for Propagation of Mammalian Cells, Viruses, and Other Biologicals, in Advances in Biotechnological Processes, vol. 5, pp. 1–30, Liss (New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Jayme DW and Greenwald DJ (1991) Media Selection and Design: Wise Choices and Common Mistakes. Bio/Technology 9: 716–721.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jayme DW (1991) Nutrient Optimization for High Density Biological Production Applications. Cytotechnology 5: 15–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jayme DW and Gruber DF (1994) Development of Serum-Free Media and Methods for Optimization of Nutrient Composition, in Cell Biology: A Laboratory Handbook, vol. 1, pp. 18–24, Academic (New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Jayme DW, Kubiak JM and Fike RM (1995), 'Productivity Enhancement Using Liquid Medium Concentrates', in EC Beuvery, JB Griffiths and WP Zeijlemaker (eds.), Animal Cell Technology: Developments Toward the 21st Century, Kluwer, pp. 199–204.

  • Mahadevan MD, Klimkowsky JA and Deo YM (1994) Media Replenishment: A Tool for the Analysis of High-Cell Density Perfusion Systems. Cytotechnology 14: 89–96.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore GE, Gerner R and Franklin H (1967) Culture of Normal Human Lymphocytes. J Amer Med Assoc 199: 519–524.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murakami H, Masui H, Sato GH, Sueoka N, Chow TP and Kono-Sueoka T (1982) Growth of Hybridoma Cells in Serum-Free Medium: Ethanolamine is an Essential Component. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 79: 1158–1162.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murakami H, Shimomura T, Nakamura T, Ohashi H, Shinohara K and Omura H (1984) Development of a Basal Medium for Serum-Free Cultivation of Hybridoma Cells in High Density. J Agricult Chem Soc Japan 56: 575–583.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murakami H, Hasizume S, Ohashi H, Shinohara K, Yasumoto K, Nomoto K and Omura H (1985) Human-Human Hybridomas Secreting Antibodies Specific to Human Lung Carcinoma. In Vitro Cell. Devel Biol 21: 593–596.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murakami H and Yamada K (1987) Production of Cancer-specific Monoclonal Antibodies with Human-Human Hybridomas and their Serum-free, High-density, Perfusion Culture in RE Spier and JB Griffiths (eds.), Modern Approaches to Animal Cell Technology, chapter 4, pp. 52–76, Butterworths (London).

    Google Scholar 

  • Murakami H (1989) Serum-Free Media Used for Cultivation of Hybridomas in Monoclonal Antibodies: Production and Application, pp. 107–141, Liss (New York).

    Google Scholar 

  • Roth G, Kubiak JM, Long JF and Schoofs GM (1995) An Automated System to Produce Cell Culture Media from Liquid Medium Concentrates. BioPharm 8: 31–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waymouth C (1984) Preparation and Use of Serum-Free Culture Media, in DW Barnes, DA Sirbasku and GH Sato (eds.), Methods for Preparation of Media, Supplements, and Substrata for Serum-Free Animal Cell Culture, Cell Culture Methods for Molecular and Cell Biology, vol. 1, Liss (New York).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jayme, D., Watanabe, T. & Shimada, T. Basal medium development for serum-free culture: a historical perspective. Cytotechnology 23, 95–101 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007967602484

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007967602484

Keywords

Navigation