In vitro production of monoclonal antibodies under serum-free conditions using a compact and inexpensive hollow fibre cell culture unit.

A compact and easily portable hollow fibre cell culture system using commercially available components is described. The construction is relatively cheap and simple. As the hollow fibre cell culture cartridge we chose an inexpensive haemodialyser.

Immunomodulatory activity of an aqueous extract of Azadirachta indica stem bark.

The interference of an aqueous extract of the stem bark of Azadirachta indica with different parts of the human immune system was investigated. The extract showed strong anticomplementary effects which were dose-and time-dependent and most pronounced in the classical complement pathway assay. Moreover, a dose-dependent decrease in the chemiluminescence of polymorphonuclear leukocytes was observed and a dose-dependent increase in the production of migration inhibition factor by lymphocytes.

A new, sensitive assay to determine immunological adjuvant activity based on the immunogenicity of neuraminidase-treated sheep erythrocytes.

A novel, sensitive system to determine immunological adjuvant activity is presented. It is based on the direct haemagglutinin response of mice to neuraminidase-treated sheep red blood cells (asialo-SRBC) seven days after i.p.

Effects of immunological adjuvants on the mouse complement system--II. Anti-complementary effects of surface-active compounds.

The anti-complementary effects of the surface-active immunological adjuvants dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide (DDA) and pluronic polyols L101 and L121 were investigated in the mouse system. All three adjuvants showed complement (C)-inactivating effects. DDA caused a time- and dose-dependent reduction of alternative pathway (AP) and overall C activity, which varied with the serum concentration.