Amino acid utilization by Vero cells in microcarrier culture

Vero cells were grown in microcarrier culture and subsequently infected with herpes simplex virus (type 1). Amino acid analyses were conducted on culture supernatants using a rapid reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography method. The utilization of amino acids by the cells during cell growth and virus production phases was examined. During cell growth, glutamine and histidine were rapidly depleted (80-90%) by Vero cells while arginine and tryptophan-menthionine (peaks not resolved) were only moderately reduced (ca. 40%). In contrast, a marked increase in the concentrations of alanine and serine in the culture medium was observed. During virus production, the rapid depletion of glutamine, as well as the release of alanine and serine, was again observed, while the concentrations of isoleucine, lysine, threonine and valine increased only moderately.