title: Stability of biotransformation capacity in Digitalis lanata cell cultures after cryogenic storage.
abstract: Suspension cultures of Digitalis lanata were stored at the temperature of liquid nitrogen. After thawing, viable cultures were recovered which showed a growth rate equal to that of untreated cells. The capacity of Digitalis cells to transform β-methyldigitoxin to β-methyldigoxin remained unchanged after cryostorage. This was shown in 300-ml shake cultures as well as in 20-1 bioreactors. From these results it is clear that cryostorage is a suitable method for preserving cell lines with specific capacities to produce compounds of medical and industrial importance.
authors.affiliation: Pharmazeutisches Institut (Pharmazeutische Biologie), Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, D-7400, Tübingen, FRG.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Seitz
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Alfermann
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Reinhard