The Effect of Dissolved Oxygen Partial Pressure on Growth, Metabolism and Immunoglobulin Production in a Permanent Human Lymphocyte Cell Line Culture

Abstract

The effect of liquid phase pO2 (concentration equivalent of dissolved oxygen) on the growth of human lymphocyte cell line cultures was investigated. The pO2 was monitored and controlled continuously and automatically. A maximum cell yield was obtained with a pO2 of 166 mm Hg and lower cell yields were observed with lower pO2. No cell growth occurred in cultures where the pO2 was zero or higher than the normal 100% oxygen saturation. Immuno-globulin production was pO2-dependent. Higher yields and synthetic rates of immunoglobulin were observed at low pO2 (33 mm Hg).