Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) remains a popular media supplement as it provides a wide array of functions in cell culture. FBS delivers nutrients, growth and attachment factors and aids in proliferation. It also protects cells from oxidative damage and apoptosis. FBS blocks reactive oxygen species generation, which otherwise is not eliminated in serum-free media (SFM) systems.

FBS sourced in the United States is used in a broad range of cell culture applications. FBS provides many non-defined growth promoting and survival enhancing factor to cells in culture.
Fetal Bovine Serum has been used:

• as a component of Dulbecco′s Modified Eagles Media (DME, DMEM), Eagle′s Minimum Essential Medium (EMEM), Roswell Park Memorial Institute medium (RPMI-1640), α-modified eagle medium (αMEM) (MEM) and Leibovitz L-15 medium
• as a component of blocking medium for treating brainstem slices
• to improve attachment of dermal explants

Prepared by heating at 56°C for 30 minutes.

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