Gibco™ Embryonic stem-cell FBS, qualified, USDA-approved regions

Catalog No.	Quantity	Format
10-439-024	500 mL	Bottle
10-439-001	50 mL	One Shot

Catalog No. 10-439-024 Supplier Gibco™ Supplier No. 10439024

Description

Embryonic stem-cell FBS, qualified, USDA-approved regions is US certified performance plus sera for broad range of cell types, especially sensitive cell lines.

Gibco™ fetal bovine sera offers excellent value for basic cell culture, specialty research, and specific assays, earning the trust of researchers with consistent quality and award-winning support that helps meet your research needs and budget requirements

• Sera Category: Specialty
• Origin: Countries meeting USDA importation requirements
• Endotoxin level: ≤50 EU/mL (levels routinely ≤10 EU/mL)
• Hemoglobin level: ≤25 mg/dL

Specially tested for the ability to sustain undifferentiated cellular morphology of embryonic stem cells.

Order Info

Shipping Condition: Dry Ice

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Specifications

• Content And Storage: Storage conditions: ≤-10°C
  Shipping conditions: Frozen
• Species: Cattle/Bovine
• Age: Fetal
• Country of Origin: Mexico
• Form: Liquid
• Format: Bottle
• Product Type: Fetal Bovine Serum
• Quantity: 500 mL
• Serum Treatment: Standard (Sterile-filtered)
• Sterility: Sterile
• Endotoxin Concentration: <50 EU/mL
• Hemoglobin Concentration: ≤25 mg/dL
• Purity or Quality Grade: ES Cell-Qualified
• Shipping Condition: Frozen

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the benefits and disadvantages of using heat-inactivated FBS in cell culture?

1. Heating inactivates complement. Active complement can participate in cytolytic events, contract smooth muscle, release histamine from mast cells and platelets, and activate lymphocytic and macrophage cells. Applications where heat-inactivated serum is recommended include immunological studies and culturing of embryonic stem cells (ESCs), insect cells, and smooth muscle cells.
2. Heat inactivation helps to achieve bottle-to-bottle and lot-to-lot stability by neutralizing many factors that can vary largely from lot to lot.
3. There aren't necessarily disadvantages to heat inactivation of FBS, but there is some evidence that suggests there may be no added benefit to it unless you are carrying out immune studies.

Note: Heat inactivation is performed in a 56 degrees C water bath for 30 min with swirling every 10 min or so for heat distribution and to lower the degree of protein aggregation/flocculant precipitation. Note: If the time or temperature is exceeded, the serum may thicken to a gel. If this occurs, the serum is no longer usable. Unnecessary heat inactivation can take up time and potentially lead to wasted reagents if a mistake is made during the protocol¹.

1. Pellerin, et al., Bioengineering, published in 2021.

How long can I store Gibco Fetal Bovine Serum at 4 degrees C?

This product can be stored at 4 degrees C for up to 4 weeks. Once the medium has been supplemented with serum, we recommend using it within 2-4 weeks.

How should I thaw Gibco Fetal Bovine Serum?

We recommend thawing the serum overnight at 4 degrees C or in a 37 degrees C water bath, removing as soon as it is thawed. Once thawed, aliquot into single-use sizes and freeze the aliquots. Each aliquot should ideally be thawed only one additional time as repeated freeze-thaw cycles are not recommended.

How can I minimize lot-to-lot variability in serum?

You can test each new lot to be sure that it works for your specific applications. Alternatively, our serum sales team can determine the most consistent, highest-performing serum lot available using the Gibco iMatch Sera Lot Matching Tool.

Can I aliquot and refreeze serum?

Yes, after the overnight thaw, you can aliquot the serum into smaller, single-use aliquots and refreeze it.

Is serum sterile?

Fetal bovine serum is triple-filtered through 0.1 µm filters. Bovine serum is filtered through 0.2 µm filters.

Why should I heat-inactivate fetal bovine serum (FBS)?

Heating serum inactivates complement. Active complement can participate in cytolytic events, contract smooth muscle, release histamine from mast cells and platelets, and activate lymphocytic and macrophage cells. Applications where heat-inactivated serum is recommended include immunological studies and culturing of embryonic stem cells (ESCs), insect cells, and smooth muscle cells.

What does International Serum Industry Association (ISIA) traceability certification for FBS mean?

It means that the company maintains all auditable history of quality and quantity of materials from the point of collection (including specific animal numbers for donor products), and documentation supporting all stages of processing and transportation or commercial transactions.

What is the difference between Certified and Qualified FBS?

The serum is from the same source, collected and processed in the same way. The differences are in the testing performed on the serum and the specifications for release. Certified serum undergoes additional biochemical and hormonal testing. Certified FBS has a lower concentration of endotoxin (5 EU/mL or less) and hemoglobin (15 mg/dL or less).

Do I need to heat-inactivate Embryonic Stem-Cell FBS, qualified?

The material is not heat-inactivated. We would only recommend heat-inactivating it if your application specifically requires it. We recommend using heat-inactivated serum when working with immune type cells or for immunological applications.

How long can serum be stored at 2-8 degrees C?

Serum can be kept at 2-8 degrees C for up to 4 weeks.

How do I characterize human embryonic stem ( ES) cells?

Human ES cells are generally characterized by their typical morphology (they grow as tightly packed clusters of small cells with high ratio of nucleus to cytoplasm); surface marker expression; RT-PCR detection of stem cell-specific gene expression (such as Oct3/4, Sox2, and Nanog); alkaline phosphatase staining, and telomerase activity assay. The most commonly used ES specific surface markers include stage-specific embryonic antigens SSEA-3 and SSEA-4 for human ES cells. Other ES-specific surface antigens also include TRA-1-60 and TRA-1-81. (Science 282:1145 (1998).

How are human embryonic stem (ES) cells derived?

Human ES cells are derived from human blastocyst inner cell masses, isolated by immunosurgery with rabbit antiserum to BeWO cells (a human trophoblast cell line) (Science 282:1145 (1998)).

What are ES cells?

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are derived from the early mammalian embryo and are capable of unlimited, undifferentiated proliferation in vitro while maintaining their potential to differentiate into a wide of range of adult tissues including germ cells. The pluripotency of the ES cells is normally demonstrated in vitro by inducing ES cells to differentiate into embryoid bodies and checking lineage-specific markers for differentiated cells in three body layers (endo, meso, and ectoderm), or injecting them into immunodeficient mice and determining the cell types produced in the teratomas.

If my FBS arrives partially thawed, can I still use it?

Our studies have shown that short-term storage of thawed FBS at 4 degrees C for up to 28 days causes no decrease in growth or viability performance. FBS stored at 4 degrees C for longer periods of time should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis should this storage condition be necessary.

Sometimes I notice flocculence in serum. What could it be?

Flocculence may appear in FBS for a variety of reasons. The most common reason is the denaturation of serum lipoproteins. You may observe fibrin, one of the clot-forming proteins present in serum, after the serum has been thawed. This should not affect product performance. To remove the flocculence, transfer the serum to sterile tubes and centrifuge the material briefly at 400 x g. Then filter the resulting supernant along with your media. Do not attempt to filter serum containing flocculence, it may clog filters.

Why does material precipitate in FBS upon storage in the refrigerator?

Gibco FBS is not pre-aged. When stored at 2 to 8 degrees C, the possibility exists for various proteins and lipoproteins in serum (e.g., cold agglutinins, fibrinogen, vitronectin, etc.) to aggregate, and form either perceptible material or observed turbidity. This should not affect serum performance. We recommend that you store FBS at -20 degrees C and avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles.

How do I know if I need heat-inactivated serum for my cells?

Usually the best way to find out is to go to the source you obtained your cells from. For example, ATCC will have serum requirements for the cells they sell. Most insect cell lines and embryonic stem cell lines require heat-inactivated serum.

Why is the measurement of oxyhemoglobin in serum important/informative?

It is a quality indicator that reflects rapid collection and processing.

How is dialyzed FBS processed?

It is dialyzed by tangential flow filtration against 0.15 M NaCl using a 10,000 molecular weight cut-off membrane until the glucose level is less than 5 mg/dL. Since this is not exhaustive dialysis, low-molecular weight dialyzable components, such as amino acids may not be totally removed. Exhaustive dialysis is not performed because it can result in precipitation and inactivation of serum peptides.

What is BVD virus (BVDV) in fetal bovine serum and how does it apply to cell culture applications?

BVD stands for Bovine Viral Diarrhea. It is one of the most common viral infections in cattle. It is estimated that 70 to 90 percent of the world's cattle population is seropositive for BVD. This virus can cause abnormalities and fetal abortions in cattle. Several strains of BVD exist, some of which are non-pathogenic.

Bovine serum is tested in accordance with 9 CFR, Section 113.53. The BVDV fluorescent antibody test is one of the required tests to meet Title 9 part 113.53 of the Code of Federal Regulations. However, the results of this test are somewhat subjective in the way they are scored. They are scored 0 to +4, based on the level of observed fluorescence. Most samples will have a detectable level of BVDV antigen due to its prevalence in the bovine population. The FA part of the testing can reveal the presence of non-cytopathic BVD strains. The Cytopathogenic and Hemadsorbing Agents testing is used to determine the release of bovine serum, regardless of the BVDV result. We currently report the BVDV results as “Tested”. Any live cytopathic bovine viruses (including the cytopathic BVDV strain) would be revealed in the testing for cytopathogenic agents. In this portion of the testing, the cultures are microscopically monitored for evidence of inclusion bodies, abnormal number of giant cells, or other cytopathology indicative of cell abnormalities. The hemadsorption assay detects the presence of hemagglutinating viruses. The viral hemagglutinin would induce clumping of red blood cells. If a positive result in the cytopathogenic agents or hemadsorbing agents assays is reported, the material would be failed and therefore would not be released by Quality Assurance.

What size packaging is available for your FBS?

Gibco FBS is available in 50 ml, 500 mL, and 1,000 mL bottles and by special order in 3.5 L and 4 L volumes.

At what temperature, and for how long, should serum be heat-inactivated?

You can incubate the thawed product at a thermostatically controlled temperature of 56 degrees C for 30 minutes. Serum can be heat-inactivated in both our plastic and glass bottles. Warning: Do not attempt to heat-inactivate at a higher temperature for prolonged periods as this may compromise the product's performance through protein denaturation.

What does heat-inactivation do to the serum?

The heating process inactivates portions of the complement cascade. Complement occurs in the following events: cytolytic activities, contraction of smooth muscle, release of histamine from mast cells and platelets, enhanced phagocytosis, chemotaxis, and activation of lymphocytic and macrophage cell types.

When should I use gamma irradiated serum?

Gamma irradiation is generally recognized by regulatory agencies as the best method of virus inactivation and for reducing the risk of viruses that are naturally present in animal sera. We offer a small range of gamma-irradiated products ex-stock. Gamma irradiation is also available on request as a custom service for most standard catalog products. We offer a range of fully validated custom processes covering many dose ranges.

What is the importance of gamma-irradiated sera?

Gamma irradiation is recognized as an effective method for inactivating viruses in animal-origin material. Based on USDA regulations for the general requirements for antibody products (9CFR, Section 113.450), the minimum dosage for blood derivatives of animal origin is 25 kGy. Certain European countries require products to be treated prior to importation with a minimum dose of 25 kGy. We will gamma-irradiate serum on request. We have validated a process for utilizing gamma irradiation in the range of 30-45 kGy to inactivate the most common bovine viruses and mycoplasmas that may be present in FBS. The level of inactivation is 6-8 logs for viruses and 6-7 logs for mycoplasmas. We have also demonstrated that physiochemical properties and cell culture performance of serum is not altered by gamma irradiation at levels of 30-45 kGy.

Can I get custom serum products for my specific research requirements?

Yes. We offer a wide range of custom options. Please contact techsupport@thermofisher.com to find your Sera Specialists to discuss your application and research needs. We will work with you to supply sera that is specially processed and tested to meet your individual requirements. Some examples of our custom capabilities are heat inactivation, gamma irradiation, and testing for tetracycline residues.

Do I need to filter the serum before use?

No, there is no need to filter the serum before use. Gibco serum products are manufactured using the most stringent processes, including membrane filtration.

What is the difference between Fetal Bovine Serum and Fetal Calf Serum?

There is no difference in the general use of the terms. Both terms refer to serum from an unborn cow. Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) was once known as Fetal Calf Serum (FCS).

How much serum should I add to my media?

The serum concentration will vary with the cell line and basal medium used. Please go here to see our recommended sera supplementations for tested cell lines (https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/life-science/cell-culture/mammalian-cell-culture/classical-media/advanced-d-mem-and-mem/recommended-sera-supplementations.html).

Will improper storage of my tissue culture reagents affect the growth rate of my culture?

Yes. Store animal sera at -5 to -20 degrees C. Store media at 2 to 8 degrees C; use within recommended shelf life period. Store complete media (supplemented) at 2 to 8 degrees C, and for complete medium the recommended shelf life is 2 to 4 weeks. Additionally, minimize exposure of sera and media to light.

For research use or further manufacturing use only. Serum and blood proteins are not for direct administration into humans or animals.