A chemically defined synthetic culture medium

Accueil
All the news
Press and Media
A chemically defined synthetic culture medium

A chemically defined synthetic culture medium

The use of serum, proteins and even peptides in cell culture media raises numerous problems with respect to both scientific research and industrial applications. Indeed, the use of serum in culture media induces a risk in terms of safety because of its undefined composition and the fact that it may contain pathogenic agents which cannot be detected using conventional methods. Serum is also an important source of contamination (notably by proteins), which sometimes makes it difficult to purify biopharmaceutical compounds. In recent years, protein or peptide-free media have been developed, but they nevertheless contain elements which might be toxic or cause undesirable pharmacological effects (EDTA, steroids, nitroprussiate, etc...).

The medium developed by the Molecular Virology and Immunology Unit, called H-MSM, contains neither serum, nor proteins, nor any elements which might be toxic or cause undesirable pharmacological effects. It is perfectly defined, simple to prepare and, thanks to the absence of serum, much less expensive. Finally, the proteins secreted in the supernatant are relatively pure, as demonstrated by the polyacrylamide gel analysis results presented in the illustration.

Potential industrial applications

This medium is wholly suited to the culture of mammalian cells and hybridomas, as attested by the results obtained at INRA.

It has been possible to produce recombinant proteins such as INF-gamma, monoclonal antibodies, viruses such as rotavirus or Aujezsky's disease virus, using this medium.

Experiments on the production of antibodies in this medium

H-MSM has demonstrated its efficacy in terms of cell growth and the activity of the proteins produced, which are as good, if not better, than in a classic, serum-supplemented medium.

More Information:

Heading : Microbiology
Laboratory/Team : UR892 Virologie et immunologie moléculaires - INRA, Jouy-en-Josas
Scientific leader: René L'Haridon

Business manager : Jean-François RAX - jfrax@paris.inra.fr

Intellectual property status: Patent

Patent reference:

Patent filed on behalf of INRA on December 18, 2006, No. 06 11090, entitled "Milieu de culture synthétique chimiquement défini."

Type of transfer requested: License

Website: http://www.inra-transfert.fr/

Publication date : 26 July 2011 | Redactor : R. L'Haridon