Animal Cell Culture Media

Abstract

Serum Chemically Defined Basal Media and Minimal Essential Media (MEM) Serum‐Free Media Protein‐Free Media Medium Stability and Storage Medium Development for Large‐Scale Production Development of Serum‐Free Media: A Case Study Bibliography At the start of the twentieth century, researchers were trying to grow mammalian cells derived from biopsies, including cancer cells, fetal cells, and primary cells from various tissues. Since that time, medium development has followed one of two approaches; researchers have made use of biological fluids, including serum, embryo extracts, and protein digests, or they have studied those fluids and tried to find simpler substitutes for them. The following sections describe the basic components of cell culture media discovered by both of these approaches. These are ( 1 ) serum and its components, functions and processing; ( 2 ) chemically defined basal media that supplement serum for cell growth; ( 3 ) serum‐free media (or serum‐reconstitution); ( 4 ) protein‐free media (or serum‐protein replacement); ( 5 ) medium stability and storage; ( 6 ) medium development for large‐scale production; and ( 7 ) a case study for developing a serum‐free medium.