Cell aggregate suspension culture for large-scale production of biomolecules

A method is described for the rapid reversible conversion of a number of continuous cell lines from anchorage-dependent growth to growth as aggregates of cells in suspension culture. Employing this technique, an inoculum of three 75-cm2 flasks of BALB/c SV3T3 cells was grown to 60 liters of aggregate suspension in 14 days. This yielded 120 ml of packed cells or 9.1 x 10(10) cells. Similar results were obtained for other cell lines. Biomolecules such as migration-inhibition factor (MIF) and plasminogen activator were produced from these cultures.