Abstract
Fetal bovine serum (FBS) is a ubiquitously used essential supplement in cell culture media. However, there are serious scientific and ethical concerns about the use of FBS regarding its harvest and production. During the last three decades, FBS could be substituted by other supplements or by the use of defined chemical components in serum-free cell culture. A number of serum-free medium formulations have been described for mammalian and insect cell lines as well as for primary cultures. However, the switch to serum-free media still demands a time-consuming literature survey and a manufacturer search for appropriate medium formulations, respectively. Here we present the second collection of commercially available serum-free media in an updated, freely accessible interactive online database. Searches for serum-free media and continuous cell lines already adapted to serum-free culture can be performed according to various criteria. These include the degree of chemical definition, e.g. serum-free (SF), animal-derived component free (ADCF) or chemically defined (CD), and the type of medium, e.g. basal media, medium supplements, or full replacement media. In order to specify the cell lines that are adapted to serum-free media, search terms like species, organ, tissue, cell type and disease can be used. All commercially available serum-free media and adapted cell lines currently available from major distributors (e.g. ATCC, ECACC and DMSZ) are included in the database. Despite an extensive search for serum-free media and adapted cell lines, detailed information from certain companies and suppliers is still lacking and is specifically highlighted. It is intended to create a platform for the interactive exchange of information and experience by experts in the field in order to continuously improve and extend the serum-free online database. The database is accessible at http://www.goodcellculture.com/
Highlights
Cell and tissue culture, i.e. the propagation and cultivation of cells in vitro, has become an indispensable tool in basic cell and molecular biology research, applied biotechnology, and in vitro alternatives (Lindl und Gstraunthaler, 2008; McKeehan et al, 1990)
During the past decade, invertebrate cell and tissue culture has become a prominent tool in biotechnological applications, since cultured insect cells are widely used as eukaryotic in vitro expression systems using baculovirus expression vectors (Fraser, 1992; Jarvis, 1991; Kost and Condreay, 1999, 2002; Kost et al, 2005; McCarroll and King, 1997)
2.1 The basics in cell and tissue culture For successful growth, maintenance and expression of differentiated metabolic functions of human or animal cells in vitro, either primary cultures or continuous cell lines, appropriate culture conditions are required that mimic the physiological conditions in vivo et situ with respect to temperature, pH, osmolarity and oxygen supply (Davis, 2002; Masters, 2000)
Summary
Fetal bovine serum (FBS) is a ubiquitously used essential supplement in cell culture media. During the last three decades, FBS could be substituted by other supplements or by the use of defined chemical components in serum-free cell culture. We present the second collection of commercially available serum-free media in an updated, freely accessible interactive online database. Searches for serum-free media and continuous cell lines already adapted to serum-free culture can be performed according to various criteria. These include the degree of chemical definition, e.g. serum-free (SF), animal-derived component free (ADCF) or chemically defined (CD), and the type of medium, e.g. basal media, medium supplements, or full replacement media. All commercially available serum-free media and adapted cell lines currently available from major distributors (e.g. ATCC, ECACC and DMSZ) are included in the database.
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