Fetal bovine serum

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Fetal bovine serum (or fetal calf serum) is the portion of plasma remaining after coagulation of blood, during which process the plasma protein fibrinogen is converted to fibrin and remains behind in the clot^[1]. Fetal Bovine serum comes from the blood drawn from the unborn bovine fetus via a closed system venipuncture at the abattoir. Fetal Bovine Serum is the most widely used serum due to being low in antibodies and containing more growth factors, allowing for versatility in many different applications. FBS is used in the culturing of eukaryotic cells.

The globular protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA), is a major component of fetal bovine serum. The rich variety of proteins in fetal bovine serum maintains cultured cells in a medium in which they can survive, grow, and divide.

Contents 1 Process 2 Source history 3 Market 4 Global sales 5 See also 6 External links 7 References

[edit] Process

FBS is collected as whole blood at the abattoirs. Blood is contained in either a sterilized plastic jar or a blood bag and stored on wet ice to allow clotting. The blood will be either shipped over night to a processing lab or processed at an on-site lab. Blood is centrifuged to separate the liquid and solid components. The serum is the portion of plasma remaining after coagulation of blood, during which the plasma protein fibrinogen is converted to fibrin and remains behind in the clot. The serum is the clear, yellowish portion of the whole blood. The left over clot is disposed of regarding waste regulations. This raw serum is then frozen and sent to a production facility for sterile filtration. After filtration, serum is ready to be sold for use. Serum requires testing and a Certificate of Analysis as data to verify validity. Testing varies by customer but includes the following: Filtration statement, country of origin, sterility testing for bacteria, bacteriophage, mycoplasma, endotoxin, hemoglobin, virus, IgG, total protein, iron, trace metals, and hormones^[2]. The ISIA,International Serum Industry Association, was incorporated June 2006. ISIA promotes and assures quality and standards to a previously unstandardized industry. Before sterile filtration, two test are required to determine serum quality, endotoxin and hemoglobin levels.

Fetal bovine serum is commercially available from many manufacturers, and because the cells are highly sensitive, it may be wise to take time to adapt the cells when changing fetal bovine serum from different manufacturers, such as by mixing 50% of the old serum with 50% of the new serum, and leaving the cells in that environment for a while.

Fetal bovine serum should be stored frozen before adding to media in order to prevent contamination. When thawing fetal bovine serum, even though it will take longer, it should be warmed at room temperature and not in a 37-degree water bath. When performing cell culture, the bottle of fetal bovine serum should be opened and closed in a biosafety cell culture hood, and in-person training should be obtained on how to perform sterile manipulations.

[edit] Source history

In 1991, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recalled two lots of FBS processed in the US. The serum had arrived from Brazil labelled as human serum and there by evading the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The source of FBS and all serum is critical when considering the purchase of serum. The source now determines whether or not a biotherapeutic agent will receive approval by certain regulatory bodies including the USDA.

[edit] Market

FBS is collected in the US, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Central America, South America, and Europe.

[edit] Global sales

Major companies that are collecting and selling FBS globally are: INVITROGEN, THERMO FISHER, SIGMA ALDRICH, PAA, and LONZA. Sales of FBS are estimated at 700,000 Liters globally for 2008.

[edit] See also

Laboratory use of serum

[edit] External links

v • d • e Blood (WBC and RBC) Cellular/ HSCs Lymphoid/ CFU-L B cells Plasma · Memory · Follicular · Marginal-zone · Naive · Pre-B Thymocyte T cells αβ (Cytotoxic CD8+, Helper CD4+/Regulatory) · γδ NK cells Lymphokine-activated killer cell Both Natural Killer T cell Other Null cell Myeloid/ Myeloblast CFU-GEMM CFU-GM CFU-G: Granulocytes Band cell · Neutrophil CFU-M: Monocytes Macrophages Histiocytes · Kupffer cells · Alveolar macrophage · Microglia · Osteoclasts · Epithelioid cells · giant cells (Langhans giant cells, Foreign-body giant cell, Touton cells) CFU-DL Dendritic cells (Langerhans cells, Follicular dendritic cells) Common Myelomonocyte CFU-Baso Granulocytes (Basophil) CFU-Eos Granulocytes (Eosinophil) MEP CFU-Meg Megakaryoblast · Megakaryocyte · Platelets CFU-E Reticulocyte · Normoblast CFU-Mast Mast cell precursors Noncellular Plasma

[edit] References

1. ^ “Serum.” Encyclopedia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 29 Apr. 2009 http://search.eb.com/eb/article-9015704
2. ^ Harrison, Maureen A., and Ian F. Rae. General techniques of call culture. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1997.