Fetal bovine serum (FBS), also known as fetal calf serum (FCS), is a commonly used cell culture media supplement. It supplies growth factors, hormones, vitamins, and other nutrients that can support the proliferation and viability of cells in culture. The range of these factors provided by FBS enables the culture of a wide variety of cell types that may have uncharacterized culture requirements. Heat inactivation of FBS destroys potentially detrimental complement proteins while retaining the growth-promoting properties of the serum. Specialty grades of FBS are optimized for the culture of particular cell types such as hybridomas, embryonic stem cells, tetracycline-controlled expression systems, and hormone dependent cells for insulin- and estrogen-related research. Manufacturers of FBS control product variability by managing the raw material supply chain, adhering to consistent processing protocols, and rigorous testing to ensure low endotoxin, hemoglobin, and virus load. USDA-approved testing of FBS is important to certify the virus and disease safety of the source before importing animal material into the United States. USDA APHIS certification enables the use of our US origin serum for the manufacture and export of products outside of the USA.
Fetal Bovine Serum - Premium
R&D Systems | Catalog # S11150
Key Product Details
Features
Key Benefits
- Most widely used FBS from R&D Systems
- Excellent value and performance for general cell culture applications
- High lot-to-lot consistency
- Manufactured from USA-origin or USDA-approved
- Excellent cell growth characteristics, low endotoxin, and low hemoglobin levels
- Manufactured in our ISO 9001:2015 certified facility
- Formerly sold under the Atlanta Biologicals brand
Species
Applications
Product Summary for Fetal Bovine Serum - Premium
All lots of Fetal Bovine Serum – Premium are sterility, virus, and performance tested, and include a biochemical profile. Lots are manufactured from USA origin or USDA-approved origin material following stringent manufacturing and quality control procedures. All lots of FBS - Premium are manufactured in our ISO 9001:2015 certified facility.
Fetal Bovine Serum and other serum products should be stored and handled correctly to assure long-term stability and to preserve growth performance consistency throughout its shelf-life. In addition, heat inactivation of serum is frequently desired to inactivate complement within the serum. Below are protocol links for serum storage/handling and heat inactivation.
Protocol for Fetal Bovine Serum Storage, Thawing, and Freezing.
Protocol for Heat Inactivation of Serum Products.
Virus Testing - Fetal Bovine Serum – Premium undergoes testing for adventitious viruses, such as: Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV), Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis Virus (IBRV), Parainfluenza-3 Virus (PI-3V), Bluetongue Virus (BTV), Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus (BRSV), Bovine Parvovirus (BPV), Bovine Adenovirus, Type 3 (BAV-3), Bovine Adenovirus, Type 5 (BAV-5), Reo virus, and Rabies virus.
Biochemical Testing - R&D Systems FBS undergo biochemical profiling including total protein, albumin, globulin, IgG, total bilirubin, glucose, iron, cholesterol, triglycerides, sodium and potassium. View the product insert for a complete list of biochemical profiling components, which may vary between grades.
Chemical Analysis - Each lot of FBS is tested for osmolality, pH, hemoglobin, endotoxin (LAL method) and microbiological contamination (using methods recommended by the U.S. Pharmacopeia).
Product Specifications
Osmolality
Sterility Testing
Cell Culture Testing
Viral Testing
Additional Testing
Endotoxin - ≤ 50.0 EU/mL by Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL) Assay
Hemoglobin - 25 mg/dL
Scientific Data Images for Fetal Bovine Serum - Premium
Premium Fetal Bovine Serum Displays Lot-to-Lot Consistency.
Quality control data for over 80 lots of Premium FBS shows high levels of performance consistency. (A) Plating efficiency of cells cultured in media containing 5% or 10% Premium FBS, relative to control lots of FBS. (B) Premium FBS was tested for its ability to support hybridoma cloning as well as the healthy expansion of adherent and suspension cell culture lines. Lots of Premium FBS show consistent and high percentage cloning efficiency and cell viability.
Growth of Mesenchymal Stem Cells using Premium FBS.
Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were cultured for 4 passages in media supplemented with Premium FBS or an alternate FBS supplier (Supplier #1). MSCs were analyzed by flow cytometry using PE-conjugated CD90 (R&D Systems, Catalog # FAB2067P) and APC-conjugated CD45 (R&D Systems, Catalog # FAB1430A). (A) Percentage of CD90+ MSCs following four passages in culture. (B) Representative flow cytometry data of CD90+ human MSCs cultured for 4 passages in Premium Grade FBS.Formulation, Preparation, and Storage
Purification
Shipping
Storage
Background: Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS)
Product Documents for Fetal Bovine Serum - Premium
Certificate of Analysis
To download a Certificate of Analysis, please enter a lot or batch number in the search box below.
Note: Certificate of Analysis not available for kit components.
Citations for Fetal Bovine Serum - Premium
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Customer Reviews for Fetal Bovine Serum - Premium (8)
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Customer Images
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Verified Customer | Posted 09/07/2023We employed this serum for fibroblast culturing, and the fibroblasts proliferated while preserving their distinctive differentiation characteristics.
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Verified Customer | Posted 11/20/2020We are currently using this FBS and it is working well and continue to use this in future. Image Columns HiTrap Protein G HP, 1 ml
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Verified Customer | Posted 10/19/2020I used FBS for cell culture. Image Caption: Zinc Finger expression in PC3 (ATCC-CRL 1435) cell line.
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Verified Customer | Posted 10/18/2019Works great.
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Verified Customer | Posted 09/12/2019After doing a thorough Lot test, our lab is confident in the FBS that we ordered from RnD Systems. The attached image is an overlay of Dapi, Phalloidin, and aSMA. Their customer service was also spectacular as we were figuring out exactly what we needed.
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Verified Customer | Posted 05/21/2019Works perfect with primary fibroblasts and MSCs.
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Verified Customer | Posted 05/09/2019Used to grow alligator lung fibroblasts. Cells grew well. Picture is not the best as our regular camera is down but its the best I could do.
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Verified Customer | Posted 04/05/2019HCT cells grown in DMEM with 10% serum.
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Protocols
Find general support by application which include: protocols, troubleshooting, illustrated assays, videos and webinars.
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- View all Protocols, Troubleshooting, Illustrated assays and Webinars
FAQs for Fetal Bovine Serum - Premium
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Q: Should I use heat inactivated fetal bovine serum?
A: Heat inactivation, in general, decreases the growth promoting properties of the serum and causes increased formation of crystalline or flocculent precipitates (salts, proteins, lipids, fibrin, etc.) in the Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) as well as in other serum products. In fact, for many cell culture applications, heat inactivation may be unnecessary. Warming the serum-containing medium to 37˚C prior to use, as is the practice in many cell culture laboratories, is often sufficient to inactivate heat-labile complement factors. Heat inactivated FBS is frequently used in immunological applications.Since every cell type has different growth requirements, the choice of whether to heat inactivate your serum or not must be made by the researcher. If you have concerns about whether to use heat inactivated serum with your cell line or not, perform a side-by-side comparison of cell growth with heat inactivated versus non-heat inactivated serum.
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Q: What is the difference between Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) and Fetal Calf Serum (FCS)?
A: There is no difference. These are different names for the same product. Serum derived from blood of bovine fetuses is referred to as Fetal Bovine Serum or Fetal Calf Serum.
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Q: Should I use heat inactivated fetal bovine serum?
A: Heat inactivation, in general, decreases the growth promoting properties of the serum and causes increased formation of crystalline or flocculent precipitates (salts, proteins, lipids, fibrin, etc.) in the Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) as well as in other serum products. In fact, for many cell culture applications, heat inactivation may be unnecessary. Warming the serum-containing medium to 37˚C prior to use, as is the practice in many cell culture laboratories, is often sufficient to inactivate heat-labile complement factors. Heat inactivated FBS is frequently used in immunological applications.Since every cell type has different growth requirements, the choice of whether to heat inactivate your serum or not must be made by the researcher. If you have concerns about whether to use heat inactivated serum with your cell line or not, perform a side-by-side comparison of cell growth with heat inactivated versus non-heat inactivated serum.
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Q: What is the difference between Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) and Fetal Calf Serum (FCS)?
A: There is no difference. These are different names for the same product. Serum derived from blood of bovine fetuses is referred to as Fetal Bovine Serum or Fetal Calf Serum.