US 7,402,409 B2 · Cell fusion method

Abstract

The invention provides methods for fusing a first cell with a second cell to form a hybrid cell. The methods involve incubating a first parental cell producing a first partner of a fusogenic binding partner pair on its surface with a second parental cell producing a second partner of the fusogenic binding partner pair on its surface. In certain embodiments, the parental cells are incubated with a known fusogen such as polyethylene glycol and the fusogenic binding partner pair increases the rate of cell fusion. In many embodiments, the first cell is an antibody producing cell, the second cell is an immortal cell, and the hybrid cell is a hybridoma cell that produces a monoclonal antibody. Also provided by the invention are methods for producing hybridoma cells, and methods for screening those cells for production of a monoclonal antibody of interest. The invention further provides systems and kits for carrying out the subject methods. The subject methods, systems, and kits find use in a variety of different industrial, medical and research applications.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A method of fusing an antibody-producing cell with an immortal cell to produce a hybridoma cell, said method comprising:

incubating an antibody-producing cell comprising a first partner of a binding partner pair on its surface with an immortal cell comprising a second partner of said binding partner pair on its surface under conditions sufficient for fusion of said cells, where said first partner or said second partner is an antibody of known specificity that is produced by a recombinant expression cassette in said cell, and wherein said antibody-producing cell also produces an antibody of unknown specificity, to produce said hybridoma cell.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Cell fusion method

Life of this patent

Cell fusion method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22