MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY PRODUCTION SERVICESThe UNC Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) has informed us that new guidelines will result in greater restrictions on the use of animals for the production of monoclonal antibodies in ascites. As an alternative, the Tissue Culture Facility has expanded and improved techniques for in vitro monoclonal antibody production using your hybridoma. The TCF does not currently create hybridomas, but can arrange to have that service provided for a fee at the NCSU Hybridoma Facility. The Tissue Culture Facility (TCF) can provide the following services related to monoclonal antibody in vitro production using existing hybridomas.
I. Standard production using your hybridoma in a fetal bovine serum (FBS) supplemented medium.
This is the most basic production system whereby your hybridoma is grown in FBS supplemented cell culture medium to the volume requested. The maximum cell density possible is attained, the cells are allowed to produce antibody in the medium until approximately 80% of the cell population becomes non-viable, and the medium containing the antibody is collected. Cells are typically grown in standard spinner cultures for this technique.
II. Standard production using your hybridoma in a serum-free cell culture medium.
Production is as above except the hybridoma cells are weaned to serum-free medium prior to production. This may be important to investigators concerned with subsequent purification as the absence of extraneous serum proteins makes purification easier. Time is added (two to three weeks) to the delivery time due to the weaning process.
III. Production using Hollow-fiber Bioreactor / Special membrane design Integra flasks.
This system is recommended for investigators requiring relatively large amounts of antibody at medium to high concentrations. Your hybridoma is weaned to serum-free medium and loaded into a hollow-fiber bioreactor or a new stationary system by Integra. Cells are grown in the extra-capillary space of the cartridge or in a special membrane area in the Integra flasks to very high densities. Typically, seven milliliters of medium containing the antibody is collected every two to three days over a time period necessary to obtain the total required amount of antibody. The antibody isotype is monitored during weaning and production and is included in the cost.
IV. Isotype Determination.
We can determine and monitor the isotype of your monoclonal antibody during production if required. (This service is included free in the hollow-fiber production package.)
Isotype determination cost: $15.00 per sample
Questions
Questions about any of these or other services and products supplied by the TCF can be directed to Steve Oglesbee or Wendy Zerega at 966-4324, email: tcf@unc.edu. Please note that Cancer Center members receive additional discounts from those prices quoted above.