The present invention relates to a method, a medium and a kit for the enrichment and detection of Listeria species, especially Listeria monocytogenes. The medium is an enrichment medium comprising C12 to C16 fatty acids and/or derivatives thereof.

Cultivation and/or test-system comprising at least two cultivation spaces combined in a microparticle, wherein the sperically shaped microparticle comprises, (i) a first cultivation space in the center core of said spherically shaped microparticle, (ii) a second cultivation space in the wall surrounding the core of said microparticle, (iii) wherein the wall surrounding the core allows for the exchange of molecules as, salts, nutrients, peptides, chemicals and other compounds in order for the cells in the first cultivation space to interact with the cells in second cultivation space and vice versa. In the test system, the cells are co-cultivated and the microparticles are then selected based on the phenotype of the cells in the first or second cultivation space.

The present invention relates to a method for the preparation of an immunogenic composition for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of mycoplasma infections in a subject comprising the cultivation of mycoplasma bacteria in a serum-reduced or swine serum-free, eukaryotic cell system; obtaining an antigen of the mycoplasma bacteria; and addition of a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Further, the present invention relates to the immunogenic composition obtainable by said method and a method for immunizing a subject comprising the administration of said immunogenic composition to a subject.

Several methods are described for generating mycelial scaffolds for use several technologies. In one embodiment, a mycelial scaffold is generated using a perfusion bioreactor system for cell-based meat technologies. In another embodiment, a mycelial scaffold is prepared for biomedical applications. The mycelial scaffolds may be generated from a liquid medium or from a solid substrate.

Described is a method to transfer chromosomal DNA between two microbial species without genetic engineering or vectors. The strains resulting from this method are chimeric microbial hybrids that can express a combination of genotypes from both parents.

The invention relates to a method of propagating a mixture of two or more different micro-organism phenotypes, said method comprising the steps of: a) inoculating an aqueous culture medium with an inoculum comprising at least two different micro-organism phenotypes; b) mixing the inoculated aqueous medium with fat to produce a water-in-oil emulsion; c) incubating the emulsion at an incubation temperature in the range of 20-60 C. for at least 2 hours; d) heating the incubated emulsion to a temperature that is at least 5 C. above the incubation temperature to cause phase separation of the emulsion; e) repeating the cycle of steps a) to d) at a larger scale using viable cells contained in the aqueous phase of the phase separated emulsion as the inoculum; and f) collecting the propagated mixture of the two or more different micro-organism phenotypes wherein the fat has a solid fat content at the incubation temperature (N.sub.Tc) of at least 5 wt. %. The method according to the invention enables industrial scale production of mixed microbial cultures starting from an inoculum containing a mixture of micro-organisms with no, or only minor population variation during propagation, even if the inoculum contains both fast and slow growing micro-organisms.

The invention relates to a granulocyte or stem cell (preferably granulocyte) for use in treating an infection. The invention also relates to said methods for identifying said granulocytes and stem cells capable of differentiating into said granulocytes, compositions and kits comprising the same, as well as uses of the same for treating an infection.

The present invention provides a method for producing a composition for culturing animal cells, wherein the method includes: (1) a step in which an algae is mixed with a solid acid catalyst and an algae extract is obtained by heating; and (2) a step in which the algae extract is added to a medium for culturing animal cells and the concentration of the algae extract is adjusted. The present invention also provides a recycling/culturing method for algae and animal cells including: (i) a step in which a waste liquid (a first waste liquid) previously used to culture animal cells is used to culture algae; (ii) a step in which the algae is collected, mixed with a solid catalyst, and heated, and an algae extract is thereby obtained; (iii) a step in which the algae extract is added to the waste liquid (a second waste liquid) previously used to culture algae in (i), the concentration of the algae extract is adjusted, and a composition for culturing animal cells is produced; and (iv) a step in which animal cells are cultured using the composition for culturing animal cells.

Herein is reported a method for obtaining a B-cell comprising the following steps a) labeling B-cells, b) depositing the labeled B-cells as single cells, c) co-cultivating the single cell deposited B-cells with feeder cells, d) selecting a B-cell proliferating and secreting IgG in step c) and thereby obtaining a B-cell. The labeling can be of IgG.sup.+CD19.sup.+-B-cells, IgG.sup.+CD38.sup.+-B-cells, IgG.sup.+CD268.sup.+-B-cells, IgG.sup.?CD138.sup.+-B-cells, CD27.sup.+CD138.sup.+-B-cells or CD3.sup.?CD27.sup.+-B-cells. The method can comprise the step of incubating said B-cells at 37? C. for one hour in EL-4 B5 medium prior to the depositing step. The method can also comprise the step of centrifuging said single cell deposited B-cells prior to the co-cultivation. In the co-cultivation a feeder mix comprising interleukin-1beta, and tumor necrosis factor alpha and Staphylococcus aureus strain Cowans cells or BAFF or interleukin-2 and/or interleukin-10 and/or interleukin-6 and/or interleukin-4 can be used.

The present invention relates to a combination of microbes, cell culture systems and microfluidic fluidic systems for use in providing a human Intestine On-Chip with optimal intestinal motility. More specifically, in some embodiments, a microfluidic chip containing intestinal epithelial cells co-cultured with intestinal endothelial cells in the presence of bacteria, such as probiotic bacteria, may find use in providing an Intestine-On-Chip for testing intestinal motility function. In some embodiments, an Intestine On-Chip may be used for identifying (testing) therapeutic compounds continuing probiotic microbes or compounds for inducing intestinal motility for use in treating gastrointestinal disorders or diseases related to intestinal function.