title: An experimental system for determining the influence of microgravity on B lymphocyte activation and cell fusion.
abstract: The influence of microgravity on lymphocyte activation is central to the understanding of immunological function in space.  Moreover, the adaptation of groundbased technologies to microgravity conditions presents opportunities for biotechnological applications including high efficiency production of antibody forming hybridomas.  Because the emerging technology of microgravity hybridoma generation is dependent upon activation and cultivation of B lymphocytes during flight, we have adapted mitogen-driven B lymphocyte stimulation and culture that allows for the in vitro generation of large numbers of antibody forming cells suitable for cell fusion over a period of 1-2 weeks.  We believe that this activation and cultivation system can be flown on near-term space flights to test fundamental hypotheses about mammalian cell activation, cell fusion, metabolism, secretion, growth, and bio-separation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Science, University of Arizona, Tucson 85721, USA.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Sammons
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Klinman
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gessner
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Humphreys
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Emmons
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Neil
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001709:Biotechnology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002459:Cell Fusion; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006825:Hybridomas / Q000473:pathology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D012107:Research Design; D013026:Space Flight; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D014893:Weightlessness
chemical_list: D008934:Mitogens