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Serious About Serum

FBS Select for Specialty Cell Culture Applications

Fetal Bovine Serum for Cell Culture

Fluorescent staining of perinuclear ANF and nuclear DAPI in the presence of HL-screened FBS

Figure 1.HL-1 Mouse cardiac muscle cells. Fluorescent staining of perinuclear ANF (green) and nuclear DAPI (blue) in the presence of HL-1 screened FBS.

A crucial and commonly used cell culture media supplement, fetal bovine serum (FBS), contains growth factors, hormones, vitamins, proteins, and other trace elements that aid in healthy cell growth and maintenance in vitro. However, some cultures require FBS which has received certain treatments or has been tested for specific research applications. 

Our FBS Select products allow you to choose a product for your specialized cell culture applications. Our portfolio meets standards for mesenchymal stem cell culture, cardiomyocyte culture, embryonic stem cell culture, the development of immunotherapies, and other specific culture needs. Continue on this journey and learn more about our FBS Select portfolio of products, including:

  1. Why use specialty serum?
  2. How do I identify the right specialty serum for my application?
  3. How does specialty sera work in stem cell applications?
    1. Mesenchymal Stem Cells
    2. Embryonic Stem Cells
    3. Cardiomyocytes
  4. Is there animal free specialty serum?

FBS Select logo with a light blue drop of sera

Specialty FBS for Cell Culture

FBS Select sera products are qualified for specialized cell culture applications such as stem cell differentiation, growth, and proliferation. The sera are rigorously tested for endotoxins, mycoplasma, viruses, and other potential contaminants, and are pre-screened for plating efficiency and maintenance.

FBS Select sera include documentation and meet European Union requirements for the production of technical blood products. The sera may be subjected to or may include the following attributes:

  • Charcoal stripped or dialyzed
  • Embryonic or mesenchymal stem cell qualified
  • HL-1 cell screened
  • Ultra-low IgG concentrations

Frequently Asked Questions about Serum

Serum is an important lab commodity and can have a significant impact on your cell culture assays, especially with specialty cell culture such as stem cell culture. Understanding how to handle serum, the sourcing of different FBS, and why tissue cultures need serum can be crucial for the success of your cellular applications. Discover our three frequently asked questions technical articles where our scientists answer your questions about general and specialty FBS.


Scientist using Millicell® hanging cell culture inserts

Human Serum

While FBS Select sera products are used in stem cell applications, human sera products may be better suited for certain human cell culture applications such as cell invasion studies, tissue engineering, and human tumor spheroid formation. Our human sera products are serially filtered under sterile conditions and are extensively tested to ensure that they do not contain viruses and baceteria.

We provide a comprehensive selection of human sera, including heat-inactivated sera and sera derived from plasma or clotted whole blood.




Request a Serum Sample

Our portfolio consists of various types of sera, including but not limited to, bovine, calf, human, horse, goat, sheep, porcine and chicken. We also offer multiple origins such as US, USDA approved, Canadian, South American, Australian, and New Zealand. Please fill out the form below and your serum specialist will contact you for further qualification and approval of the serum sample.

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