Fetal Bovine Serum, USDA approved, Heat inactivated, Sterile filtered, is supplied by HiMedia. It is available in the form of a colourless clear solution with a pH in the range of 6.8 to 8.2 and an osmolality between 280.00 -340.00 mOsm/KgH2O. It is advisable to store this product between -10 to -40C, away from bright light.

Fetal bovine serum (FBS) is a ubiquitously used essential supplement in cell culture media. FBS is a cocktail of proteins, vitamins, carbohydrates, lipids, hormones, growth factors, minerals and trace elements and is used as a universal growth supplement effective for most types of human and animal (including insect) cells. The major functions of serum in culture media are, to provide hormonal factors stimulating cell growth and proliferation and promoting differentiated functions, transport proteins carrying hormones (e.g.transcortin), minerals and trace elements and lipids (e.g. lipoproteins) for attachment and spreading factors or acting as germination points for cell attachment. MSC qualified sera are suitable for culturing mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) which are undifferentiated cells that have the ability to differentiate into multiple lineages. MSC qualified sera are prescreened for clonal efficiency, expansion and differentiation potential of mesenchymal stem cells into adipogenic, osteogenic and chondrogenic lineages.