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

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). Glucose consumption and lactic acid production rates increased as the pO₂ decreased. Maintenance of the optimal pO₂ is desirable for the cultivation of large quantities of lymphocytes and for increased immunoglobulin yields.