Abstract: A method of producing antibodies against vascular permeability factor (VPF) is disclosed which comprises immunizing a host animal with a peptide having an amino acid sequence as follows: ##STR1## or a fragment of said peptide containing an antigenic determinant of VPF.

Abstract: The reaction of 3',4'-anhydrovinblastine with a Catharanthus roseus-derived protein fraction to form vinblastine is improved by conducting the reaction in the presence of a reducing agent such as the enzyme cofactor NADH. A cationic species such as manganous ion may also be added to the reaction. Vinblastine yields are enhanced.

Abstract: Metal hydrosulfites are found to be advantageous reducing agents for removing oxygen from contained atmospheres. When dissolved in alkaline aqueous gels, the hydrosulfites are effective to initiate and maintain anaerobiosis for culturing oxygen-sensitive microorganisms and animal tissues.

Abstract: Fat or oil is hydrolyzed with water and lipase effectively by supplying the fat or oil and water continuously each at a constant rate or semicontinuously in portions and simultaneously withdrawing a solution containing fatty acid(s) and an aqueous solution containing glycerol formed by the enzymatic reaction from the reaction system continuously at the same rates as those of the supplied fat or oil and water respectively or semicontinuously in portions to thereby maintain the glycerol concentration in the aqueous phase of the reaction system constant within a range of 10 to 40% by weight.

Abstract: Hybridomas are provided which secrete an IgG1 or IgG2 monoclonal antibody which binds to an epitope on an antigen, which occurs in the plasma membrane of MCF-7 cells and has a molecular weight of 22 kD. The epitope of the antibodies is exposed on the extracellular side of the plasma membrane of the MCF-7 cells. The monoclonal antibodies, which react generally with human mammary carcinoma cells, but with few non-mammary cancer cells, are useful diagnostically and therapeutically.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the long term surviving culture of hepatocytes maintaining their morphological and functional characteristics for long-term-periods, suitable to assest the acute and chronic hepatotoxicity of drugs, chemicals and environmental pollutants. The long term surviving culture of hepatocytes is carried out in a culture media containing fibroblast cells or fibroblast cell products treated to prevent cell multiplication and inoculated under controlled density.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the conversion of corrinoids produced by microorganisms into cyanocorrinoids by reaction with cyanides. According to the invention a fermentation broth obtained by disruption of microorganism cells in a known manner, preferably by heat treatment in the presence or absence of sulfite ions, optionally after purification steps known per se, is contacted with a suitable adsorbent or ion exchange resin, the corrinoids adsorbed on the surface of the adsorbent or ion exchange resin are treated with an aqueous solution containing cyanide ions or a compound capable of supplying cyanide ions, in an amount providing cyanide ions in a 1.1 to 2.0-fold molar excess related to the corrinoids, the adsorbent or ion exchange resin is washed with water, and the cyanocorrinoids obtained is eluted in a known manner, preferably with aqueous ethanol.

Abstract: A biochemical process and apparatus for use in the process are described. The process comprises reacting (a) a hydrophobic substrate with (b) a solution or dispersion comprising a hydrophilic substrate and an enzyme catalyst, by contacting through a porous thin membrane, wherein the hydrophobic and hydrophilic substrates are incompatible with each other. The apparatus comprises a main body and a porous thin membrane provided inside the main body so as to define therein at least two channels, wherein a hydrophobic substrate and a solution or dispersion comprising hydrophilic substrate and an enzyme catalyst are contacted through the thin membrane by passing them through the respective channels.

Abstract: The filterability of glucose syrups obtained from impure wheat or other cereal starch is improved by treatment with Disporotrichum. Also the separation of starch from other constituents of impure cereal starch is improved by addition of xylanase before the starch is separated.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a lymphoblastoid cell culture medium making it possible in particular to prepare products which can be administered to man by intravenous injection, the said culture medium containing, in addition to the constituent components of ISCOVE's medium, only human albumin as protein.

Abstract: The present invention involves a readily produced skin autograft or allograft composite suitable for the supplementation or replacement of injured skin. A sheet of collagen-coated pliable material such as synthetic surgical dressing is used as a foundation for the skin autograft composite. The synthetic surgical dressing, if not precoated with collagen, may be placed in a container and coated with collagen. Epidermal cells, preferably obtained from a prospective recipient of the skin autograft composite being produced, are cultured in an appropriate medium substantially preventing cell differentiation to form epidermal cells on the surface of a collagen-coated container. When substantially confluent, the epidermal cells are enzymatically detached from the culture vessel and layered upon a collagen coated desiccated surgical dressing infused with low calcium culture medium.

Abstract: A method of stimulating endothelial cell growth is provided which comprises subjecting said cells to a growth stimulating amount of a highly purified vascular permeability factor having the following characteristics:(a) it has a M.sub.r about 34,000-40,000 as determined by sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis;(b) it is a disulfide-linked protein dimer;(c) it has a N-terminal amino acid sequence as follows: ##STR1## (d) it exhibits substantial mitogenic activity to endothelial cells in culture.

Abstract: The present invention provides a membrane method for the enzymatic synthesis of peptides accomplished by shifting the chemical equilibrium that exists in a reaction mixture between charged or ionized reacting amino acids and uncharged or non-ionized peptide product in the presence of a proteolytic enzyme such as thermolysin. The equilibrium is shifted by diffusion of the unchanged peptide product across an ion-rejection membrane which removes the uncharged peptide from the reaction mixture and preferably the diffused uncharged peptide is quickly converted to a charged species that cannot back-diffuse into the reaction mixture so that the uncharged peptide is effectively "pulled" across the membrane. An enzymatic conversion of the uncharged species utilizing an esterase having proteolytic activity such as aminoacylase I is disclosed. Copermeating reactants can be separated from the product mixture and returned to the reaction mixture.

Abstract: A process for producing a physiologically active substance by a combined enzymatic method is disclosed.

Abstract: A stable, continuous human cell line or progeny thereof is produced that is resistant to 6-thioguanine and ouabain, secretes less than 40 ng/ml of endogenous IgM antibodies, and grows with a doubling time of about 18 hours. The cell line, which preferably is adapted to serum-free medium, may be used as a fusion partner with an antibody-producing cell line so as to generate antibodies. In addition, it may be electroporated with a vector containing a gene of interest to produce a transformed cell line which generates a protein encoded by the gene, such as an IgG or IgM antibody.

Abstract: Cells such as mammalian cells are cultivated on a bed of a solid material whose surface is formed of a specific polymer or copolymer of an amino acid, i.e. a poly(methionine) or a copolymer of .gamma.-benzyl glutamate.

Abstract: Neovascularization inhibitors are disclosed, which are purified polypeptides recovered from cultured cells, including retinal pigment epithelial cells and human fibroblast cells. The polypeptides may be used for the treatment of diseases in which new blood vessel formation plays a role, such as diabetic retinopathy, senile macular degeneration, tumor growth, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Abstract: A process for the one-step conversion of cephalosporin C and derivatives thereof to the corresponding 7-aminocephalosporanic acid and derivatives comprising treating said cephalosporin C and derivatives with a cephalosporin C amidase derived from Arthrobacter viscosus ATCC 53594, or from any cephalosporin C amidase producing, or potentially producing descendants thereof, or from any expression of the genetic material of said Arthrobacter viscosus ATCC 53594, or any cephalosporin C amidase producing, or potentially producing descendants thereof.

Abstract: A process for establishing functional human corneal tissue consisting of an enhanced contact-inhibited endothelial monolayer derived from isolated human corneal endothelial cells with other integral corneal layers remaining intact. The process is divided into four integral parts.1. Isolation of human corneal endothelial cells from donor corneas.2. Establishment of a human corneal endothelial cell line which involves the establishment of primary cell cultures, proliferation, and continued maintenance and subculturing of these cells in vitro.3. The utilization of long term storage of isolated human corneal endothelial cells at -80.degree. C.4. Utilizing these isolated corneal endothelial cells from the above processes to enhance the corneal endothelial monolayer of human donor corneas to be used for penetrating keratoplasty.Two distinct methods of corneal endothelial enhancement may be utilized.

Abstract: A process for forming a dipeptide which is substantially free of solid dipeptide-amino acid adduct by reacting the amino acid reactants in the presence of a polyol.