Serum is commonly used as a supplement to basal growth medium in cell culture. The most common type of serum used for cell growth is foetal bovine serum (FBS), also known as foetal calf serum (FCS). Foetal bovine serum is obtained from foetuses harvested in abattoirs from healthy dams fit for human consumption. Occasionally, there may be use of other bovine sera, such as newborn calf serum or donor bovine serum. In cell culture, serum provides a wide variety of macromolecular proteins, low molecular weight nutrients, carrier proteins for water – insoluble components, and other compounds necessary for in vitro growth of cells, such as hormones and attachment factors. Serum also adds buffering capacity to the medium and binds or neutralizes toxic components. Attempts to replace serum entirely with serum-free medium have met only with limited success.
The selection of a serum supplement for cell culture applications is primarily dependent on the chemical definition of the basal medium, the type of cell to be grown, and the culture system being employed.
Charcoal-stripped FBS
Charcoal-stripped FBS is used to elucidate the effects of hormones in a variety of in vitro systems. Studies include steroid- receptor binding, steroid regulation of cellular receptors, hormone secretion of various tissues and the function of thyroid hormones. The production procedure includes the use of charcoal and dextran to remove the hormones from the FBS.
