The development and use of microcarrier and glass sphere culture techniques for the production of herpes simplex viruses

Abstract

Two high productivity monolayer culture methods, the microcarrier and glass sphere culture, were compared for their capacity to support the growth of MRC-5 and Vero cells, and Herpes simplex type 2 virus. Cell growth was similar in both systems giving yields of 14 X 10(5)/cm2 in microcarrier and 18 X 10(5)/cm2 in glass sphere cultures with yields of Vero cells being marginally better than MRC-5 cells. Virus yields were only slightly lower in these cultures than in small scale stationary cultures and confirmed the fact that MRC-5 cells produce twice as much HSV-2 as Vero cells, thus neutralising the growth advantage of these cells. Techniques for harvesting the virus in small volumes need to be improved in order to get a high titre suspension from the high capacity cultures.