Splenic lymphocytes were collected from BCG-vaccinated ddY mice and cultured with or without the antigen. Thus obtained supernatants were tested by tissue culture techniques. Normal mouse peritoneal macrophages were infected with M. lepraemurium in vitro and the effects of MycolF (mycobacterial growth inhibiting factor) in these supernatants on the growth of the bacilli were examined. The multi...

Raw materials are a critical part of any cell culture medium; therefore, it is of utmost importance to understand and characterize them for high-quality product. The raw material characterization (RMC) program at SAFC focuses on individual screening of raw materials both analytically and biologically. The goal of the program is to develop the best-in-class knowledge base of the raw materials us...

A fructose containing cell culture medium has the advantage of low lactate production and a small pH change, leading to cell and product stability. But, not all cell lines grow well in the medium, and the fructose transporter, GLUT5, is related to it [1]. Thus, we developed an efficient production system of recombinant proteins by metabolic control and co-expression with GLUT5 in a fructose-bas...

A novel slide-culture technique was used to study gern:ination and outgro~vth ofBacillu~pop~liae spores without disturbing the microenvironment. Infective s~ore.s ~~rmed In larvae r~qu~ed _4 ?r to begin outgrowth, whereas noninfective spores from colon.les IDltI~ted. outgrowth In L hr. DIssolution of the paraspore coincided with outgrowth and not wIth germInatIOn of th~ attached spore. Germinat...

(1) A more convenient method for maintaining constant turbidity in the culture cell is described. (2) An improved culture cell and cell wipers which do not cause foaming are described.

Initial evaluations of large microbial libraries for potential producers of novel antimicrobial proteins require both qualitative and quantitative methods to screen for target enzymes prior to investing greater research effort and resources. The goal of this protocol is to demonstrate two complementary assays for conducting these initial evaluations. The microslide diffusion assay provides an i...

The gas sparging of culture broth causes damage to suspended animal cells. However, despite this, sparged bioreactors remain the preferred means of cell culture because sparging is a robust method of supplying oxygen, especially on a large scale. This article examines the underlying mechanisms involved in bubble-associated cell damage and the methods available for controlling such damage.

Microbeams have undergone a renaissance since their introduction and early use in the mid 60s. Recent advances in imaging, software and beam delivery have allowed rapid technological developments in microbeams for use in a range of experimental studies. The resurgence in the use of microbeams since the mid 90s has coincided with major changes in our understanding of how radiation interacts with...

The EZ Streak urine culture device (Difco Laboratories, Detroit, Mich.) combines the advantages of both the dip-slide and the classic urine culture technique, enabling bacterial enumeration and isolation following a simple inoculation step. Five hundred clean-catch urine specimens submitted by outpatients attending a health maintenance organization were used to compare the EZ Streak with cultur...