Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) provides many non-defined growth promoting and survival enhancing factors to cells in culture. FBS, heat inactivated may be used in place of regular FBS wherein the inactivation of the complement system is beneficial to cell growth or function. Heat-inactivated FBS is used to culture Leishmania sp.

Prepared by heating at 56°C for 30 minutes.

Prepared by heating at 56°C for 30 minutes. Heating serum to 56°C for 30 minutes is used to inactivate the complement system for immunoassays. Heat activation also inactivates other undetermined inhibitors of cell growth in culture.