A new cell culture method (the lateral diffusion system) suitable for the induction of antibody-forming cells in...

The lateral diffusion system (LDS) is a new cell culture method suitable for the in vitro induction of antibody-forming cells, based upon the diffusion of nutrients and other molecules between two contiguous compartments separated by a vertical microporous membrane. We compared an LDS cell culture plate with two commercially available diffusion culture units, the Marbrook chamber (C.A. Hendley Ltd.) and the Millicell-HA cell culture unit (Millipore Corporation), in terms of ability to support spleen cells responding to in vitro exposure to a soluble antigen (phosphorylcholine (PC) coupled to keyhole limpet haemocyanin) and two particulate antigens (a PC-rich microsomal fraction obtained from the parasite Trichinella spiralis, and sheep red blood cells). We found that, at high cell culture densities, similar numbers of plaque-forming cells were induced using the three units, but that the LDS is superior in versatility and ease of use to any of the devices currently used for PFC induction in vitro.