SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                             ----------------------

                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           The Securities Act of 1933

                               Techne Corporation
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

    Minnesota                                     41-1427402
 (State or Other Juris-                           (I.R.S. Employer
 diction of Incorporation                         Identification Number)
  or Organization)

                             614 McKinley Place N.E.
                          Minneapolis, Minnesota 55413
              (Address of Principal Executive Office and Zip Code)



             Techne Corporation 1988 Nonqualified Stock Option Plan
                            (Full Title of the Plan)


                                 Thomas E. Oland
                                    President
                         Techne Corporation 614 McKinley
                                   Place N.E.
                          Minneapolis, Minnesota 55413
                                 (612) 379-2956
 (Name, Address and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)

                                   Copies to:
                                Timothy M. Heaney
                            Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
                            1100 International Centre
                          Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
================================================================================================================================
                                                                                     Proposed
                                                       Proposed Maximum               Maximum
  Title of Securities          Amount to be             Offering Price               Aggregate                Amount of
   to be Registered            Registered(1)             Per Share(2)            Offering Price(2)         Registration Fee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                         <C>                            <C>                     <C>                       <C>            

  Options to Purchase
  Common Stock under
       the Plan                 Indefinite                  $ 0.00                    $ 0.00                    $ 0.00

     Common Stock
     issuable upon
  exercise of options
   granted under the
         Plan                 200,000 shares                $24.75                  $4,950,000                $1,500.00
                                                                                                               --------

        TOTAL:                                                                                                $1,500.00
================================================================================================================================

</TABLE>

(1)      In  addition,  pursuant to Rule 416 under the  Securities  Act of 1933,
         this  Registration  Statement  also covers an  indeterminate  amount of
         interests to be offered or sold  pursuant to the employee  benefit plan
         described  herein  and  any  additional  securities  which  may  become
         issuable pursuant to anti-dilution provisions of the plan.

(2)      Estimated pursuant to Rule 457(h) solely for the purpose of calculating
         the  registration  fee and based  upon the  average of the high and low
         prices of the Registrant's Common Stock on October 10, 1996.


<PAGE>



     The purpose of this Registration Statement is to register additional shares
for issuance under the  Registrant's  1988  Nonqualified  Stock Option Plan. The
contents of the  Registrant's  Registration  Statements  on Form S-8,  Reg.  No.
33-49160 and Reg. No. 33-86728, are incorporated herein by reference.



                                   SIGNATURES

     The Registrant. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all of the  requirements  for  filing  on  Form  S-8 and has  duly  caused  this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,  thereunto
duly authorized,  in the City of Minneapolis and State of Minnesota, on the 15th
day of October , 1996.


                               TECHNE CORPORATION
                               (the "Registrant")



                               By /s/ Thomas E. Oland
                                 Thomas E. Oland, President




     Pursuant  to  the   requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  this
Registration  Statement  has been signed below by the  following  persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.



                               (Power of Attorney)

     Each of the undersigned  constitutes and appoints Thomas E. Oland and Roger
C. Lucas his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, each acting alone, with
full powers of substitution and  resubstitution,  for him and in his name, place
and  stead,  in any and  all  capacities,  to sign  the  Form  S-8  Registration
Statement of Techne  Corporation  relating to the  Company's  1988  Nonqualified
Stock Option Plan and any or all amendments or post-effective  amendments to the
Form S-8  Registration  Statement,  and to file  the  same,  with  all  exhibits
thereto,  and other documents in connection  therewith,  with the Securities and
Exchange  Commission,  granting  unto said  attorneys-in-fact  and agents,  each
acting alone,  full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and
thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises,  as fully to
all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do in person,  hereby
ratifying


                                      - 1 -

<PAGE>



and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, or
their  substitute or substitutes,  may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.

  Signature                        Title                                  Date


/s/ Thomas E. Oland        Chairman, President, Treasurer       October 15, 1996
-------------------        and Director (principal executive                   
Thomas E. Oland            officer and principal financial
                           and accounting officer)


/s/ Christopher S. Henney  Director                             October 15, 1996
-------------------------                                                 
Christopher S. Henney


/s/ G. A. Herbert          Director                             October 15, 1996
-------------------- 
G. Arthur Herbert


/s/ Roger C. Lucas         Director                             October 15, 1996
-------------------- 
Roger C. Lucas


/s/ Howard V. O'Connell    Director                             October 15, 1996
-----------------------                                                   
Howard V. O'Connell


/s/ Lowell E. Sears        Director                             October 15, 1996
---------------------- 
Lowell E. Sears


/s/ Randolph C. Steer      Director                             October 15, 1996
-----------------------                                                   
Randolph C. Steer, M.D.

                                      - 2 -

<PAGE>



                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549






                               TECHNE CORPORATION



                         Form S-8 Registration Statement




                             E X H I B I T I N D E X




Number            Exhibit Description

 5                Opinion and Consent of counsel re securities under the Plan
23.1              Consent of counsel (See Exhibit 5)
23.2              Consent of independent accountants
24                Power of attorney (See Signature Page)
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "S-8 FOR 1988 NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION PLAN", "secsgml_size_bytes": 8254}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "TECHNE CORP /MN/", "cik": "0000842023", "assigned-sic": "2836", "irs-number": "411427402", "state-of-incorporation": "MN", "fiscal-year-end": "0630"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-14211", "film-number": "96643962"}, "business-address": {"street1": "614 MCKINLEY PL N E", "city": "MINNEAPOLIS", "state": "MN", "zip": "55413", "phone": "6123798854"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "614 MCKINLEY PLACE NE", "city": "MINNEAPOLIS", "state": "MN", "zip": "55413"}}
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                             ----------------------

                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           The Securities Act of 1933

                               Techne Corporation
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

    Minnesota                                     41-1427402
 (State or Other Juris-                           (I.R.S. Employer
 diction of Incorporation                         Identification Number)
  or Organization)

                             614 McKinley Place N.E.
                          Minneapolis, Minnesota 55413
              (Address of Principal Executive Office and Zip Code)

             Techne Corporation 1988 Nonqualified Stock Option Plan
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                                 Thomas E. Oland
                                    President
                         Techne Corporation 614 McKinley
                                   Place N.E.
                          Minneapolis, Minnesota 55413
                                 (612) 379-2956
 (Name, Address and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)

                                   Copies to:
                                Timothy M. Heaney
                            Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
                            1100 International Centre
                          Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
================================================================================================================================
                                                                                     Proposed
                                                       Proposed Maximum               Maximum
  Title of Securities          Amount to be             Offering Price               Aggregate                Amount of
   to be Registered            Registered(1)             Per Share(2)            Offering Price(2)         Registration Fee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Options to Purchase
  Common Stock under
       the Plan                 Indefinite                  $ 0.00                    $ 0.00                    $ 0.00

     Common Stock
     issuable upon
  exercise of options
   granted under the
         Plan                 200,000 shares                $24.75                  $4,950,000                $1,500.00
                                                                                                               --------

        TOTAL:                                                                                                $1,500.00
================================================================================================================================
(1)      In  addition,  pursuant to Rule 416 under the  Securities  Act of 1933,
         this  Registration  Statement  also covers an  indeterminate  amount of
         interests to be offered or sold  pursuant to the employee  benefit plan
         described  herein  and  any  additional  securities  which  may  become
         issuable pursuant to anti-dilution provisions of the plan.

(2)      Estimated pursuant to Rule 457(h) solely for the purpose of calculating
         the  registration  fee and based  upon the  average of the high and low
         prices of the Registrant's Common Stock on October 10, 1996.
The purpose of this Registration Statement is to register additional shares
for issuance under the  Registrant's  1988  Nonqualified  Stock Option Plan. The
contents of the  Registrant's  Registration  Statements  on Form S-8,  Reg.  No.
33-49160 and Reg. No. 33-86728, are incorporated herein by reference.

                                   SIGNATURES

     The Registrant. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all of the  requirements  for  filing  on  Form  S-8 and has  duly  caused  this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,  thereunto
duly authorized,  in the City of Minneapolis and State of Minnesota, on the 15th
day of October , 1996.

                               TECHNE CORPORATION
                               (the "Registrant")

                               By /s/ Thomas E. Oland
                                 Thomas E. Oland, President

     Pursuant  to  the   requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  this
Registration  Statement  has been signed below by the  following  persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

                               (Power of Attorney)

     Each of the undersigned  constitutes and appoints Thomas E. Oland and Roger
C. Lucas his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, each acting alone, with
full powers of substitution and  resubstitution,  for him and in his name, place
and  stead,  in any and  all  capacities,  to sign  the  Form  S-8  Registration
Statement of Techne  Corporation  relating to the  Company's  1988  Nonqualified
Stock Option Plan and any or all amendments or post-effective  amendments to the
Form S-8  Registration  Statement,  and to file  the  same,  with  all  exhibits
thereto,  and other documents in connection  therewith,  with the Securities and
Exchange  Commission,  granting  unto said  attorneys-in-fact  and agents,  each
acting alone,  full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and
thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises,  as fully to
all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do in person,  hereby
ratifying

                                      - 1 -
and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, or
their  substitute or substitutes,  may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.

  Signature                        Title                                  Date

/s/ Thomas E. Oland        Chairman, President, Treasurer       October 15, 1996
-------------------        and Director (principal executive                   
Thomas E. Oland            officer and principal financial
                           and accounting officer)

/s/ Christopher S. Henney  Director                             October 15, 1996
-------------------------                                                 
Christopher S. Henney

/s/ G. A. Herbert          Director                             October 15, 1996
-------------------- 
G. Arthur Herbert

/s/ Roger C. Lucas         Director                             October 15, 1996
-------------------- 
Roger C. Lucas

/s/ Howard V. O'Connell    Director                             October 15, 1996
-----------------------                                                   
Howard V. O'Connell

/s/ Lowell E. Sears        Director                             October 15, 1996
---------------------- 
Lowell E. Sears

/s/ Randolph C. Steer      Director                             October 15, 1996
-----------------------                                                   
Randolph C. Steer, M.D.

                                      - 2 -
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                               TECHNE CORPORATION

                         Form S-8 Registration Statement

                             E X H I B I T I N D E X

Number            Exhibit Description

 5                Opinion and Consent of counsel re securities under the Plan
23.1              Consent of counsel (See Exhibit 5)
23.2              Consent of independent accountants
24                Power of attorney (See Signature Page)