Estimation of the number of monoclonal hybridomas in a cell fusion experiment. Effect of post-fusion cell dilution on hybridoma survival.

A practical method is described for the estimation of the number of monoclonal hybridomas in a cell fusion experiment as a function of the percent of culture dishes showing hybridoma growth. Our method is based on the Poisson probability model. A justification for the method is included. The application of this model to our experimental results indicates that the probability of hybridoma survival decreases with post-fusion cell dilution even in the presence of a constant number of feeder cells.