Culture and stimulation of human T- and B-lymphocytes

The cultivation and stimulation of human peripheral blood cells by different mitogens were studied using a serum-free culture technique. It shows the possibility to culture human PBL in a commercially available serum-free medium over a period of at least 7 days. In a serum-free medium with high protein content the viability of the cells was higher than in one with low protein content or in a serum containing medium. It is possible to stimulate human T cells by phytohaemagglutinin in a serum-free medium. After measurement of [3H]thymidine incorporation, a significant difference between control and test cultures was found. There is also a difference between serum-free medium with high and low protein content. Human peripheral B lymphocytes stimulated by pokeweed mitogen did not show any measurable IgG-secretion if they were cultured in serum-free medium.