Abstract: A continuous fermentation device for receiving a suspension culture of cells includes a fermentation vessel having inlet means to deliver suspension culture medium; baffle means defining, in combination with interior walls of said vessel, a downcomer and a riser; pump means for forcing a suspension culture to circulate in the riser and downcomer; a portion of said baffle means further defining a static settling zone disposed within said vessel, wherein said zone is surrounded by at least one of said riser and said downcomer, said zone having a bottom opening communicating with at least one of said riser and downcomer, and a top opening connected to outlet means to draw off culture supernatant, and wherein said zone provides for cells to settle out in its bottom so as to result in a cell concentration lower in the supernatant than in the suspension. The device may be employed in a method for the suspension culture of cells by culturing cells therein.

Abstract: Animal cells are grown in a vertically disposed cylindrical vessel containing a stack of parallel spaced-apart discs inclined at least 5.degree. from the horizontal and mounted to a rotatable axial shaft. The vessel is closed by a top plate having a plurality of inlets and a bottom plate with an outlet, and contains an external pumping loop for circulating contents of the vessel from the bottom to the top of the vessel. Growing of the cells is carried out by substantially filling the vessel with a mixture of animal cells and growth medium, allowing the cells to settle on the disc surfaces and then rotating the axial shaft at a speed of at least 5 rpm while continuously circulating the vessel contents from the bottom to the top of the vessel. This process and apparatus provides efficient mixing and ensures a homogeneous system within the vessel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to culture media in which animal cells may be grown and more particularly to such culture media containing animal serum and methods for culturing cells in the media. Specifically, the present invention encompasses a culture medium for lymphoblast cells comprising an aqueous nutrient medium containing 0.5% - 20% swine serum and about 0.1% of a surfactant which inhibits the precipitation of proteins and methods for using said medium.