We developed a serum-free culture system that promoted the growth of B cell colonies in peripheral blood, bone marrow, lymph nodes and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 7 out of 8 patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas of B cell type. The culture cells were pretreated with or without galactose oxi-dase (GO) prior to plating. Colony growth was best supported with BCGF. A moderate increment was observed with rIL-3, as well as rIL-1β and even to a lesser degree, by rlL-2, while B cell stimulating factor-2 (rBCSF-2) and rlL-1β did not show significant activity. rGM-CSF and rG-CSF had little effect, while rM-CSF enhanced the formation of lymphoma colonies. The cells from different patients had different requirements for Staphylococcus aureus protein A and GO pretreatment. It reflected the differences in activation and differentiation status and surface properties of lymphoma cells from different patients. The cells from CSF of one patient were successfully maintained in serum-free culture medium supplemented w We developed a serum-free culture system that promoted the growth of B cell colonies in peripheral blood, bone marrow, lymph nodes and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 7 out of 8 patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas of B cell type. The culture cells Were pretreated with or without galactose oxi-dase (GO) prior to plating. Colony growth was best supported with BCGF. A medium increment was observed with rIL-3, as well as rIL-1β and even to a lesser degree, by rlL- 2. while B cell stimulating factor-2 (rBCSF-2) and rlL-1β did not show significant activity. rGM-CSF and rG-CSF had little effect, while rM-CSF enhanced the formation of lymphoma colonies. The cells from different Patients had different requirements for Staphylococcus aureus protein A and GO pretreatment. It reflected the differences in activation and differentiation status and surface properties of lymphoma cells from different patients. The cells from CSF of one patient were successfully maintained in serum-free culture med Ium supplemented w