[Development of a serum-free medium and primary culture of human renal cell carcinomas by serum-free culture].

Ovomacroglobulin and LDL fraction of egg yolk were effective to maintain the growth of established human cancer cell lines (Kato III, QG-90, Raji). A serum-free medium (BEM-841) containing 10 mM HEPES, 50 micrograms/ml of ovomacroglobulin, 0.1% (V/V) of LDL fraction of egg yolk, 10(-8) M catalase, 5 micrograms/ml of insulin, 5 micrograms/ml of transferrin, 5 ng/ml of selenium, 1 mg/ml of BSA, and 0.5% (V/V) of trace elements was developed. Primary culture of renal cell carcinoma cells was successful in 3 cases out of 6 by using BEM-841 medium without overgrowth of the fibroblast.