Discussion

Cells grown in defined, animal component-free media are susceptible to impaired growth and viability when subjected to stress. This is particularly relevant when screening for highly productive biopharmaceutical-producer cell lines, with cells focusing resources on high levels of antibody production likely to be at an evolutionary disadvantage – and suffer high attrition rates – compared to non-producers. Common challenges include plating at low density (limiting dilution cloning and post-cloning outgrowth), recovery from cryopreservation, and growth in semi-solid media. Building on extensive expertise growing cells under defined conditions, SAL Scientific have developed the InstiGRO™ and InstiTHAW™ range of animal component-free media supplements that dramatically improve the growth and viability of cells subjected to stress. Finally, we have also developed the InstiSHAKE™ range of supplements that deliver substantial enhancements in the growth kinetics of cells in routine culture. Supplements in each application category have been optimised for CHO, HEK and PER.C6® cells.