topic 6: basal medium

what is the nutritional requirement of mammalian cells?

basal medium + supplements = complete medium

what are the components of basal medium? (9)

balanced salt solution

buffer system

energy sources

proteins and peptides

lipids

amino acids

vitamins

accessory factors

phenol red

what are the function of a balanced salt solution? (3)

maintain physiological pH

maintain membrane potential

aid in cell attachment

what are the applications of a balanced salt solution? (2)

washing cheaper than using complete medium

short incubation as most BSS do not contain the nutrients required for long-term growth

why is buffer system required in a basal medium?

maintains the pH of mammalian cell culture medium

what is the purpose of energy sources in basal medium?

major energy source for cultured cells

energy sources: what is the most frequently used sugar and what else is a energy source? (2)

glucose most frequently used sugar

L-glutamine is also a energy for some cells

what is the purpose of proteins and peptides in a basal medium?

essential for cells to produce energy

what is the function of proteins and peptides in a basal medium? (2)

increase viscosity to prevent cell damage

promote cell attachment and growth

what is the purpose of lipids in a basal medium? (2)

supplied as nutrient

important component of serum

what is the purpose of amino acids in basal medium? (2)

essential AA required

non-essential AA added

how does AA in basal medium affect cell concentration?

AA concentration limits the max concentration attainable and balance may influence cell survival

what type of vitamins is necessary?

b group vitamins are necessary for cell growth and manipulation

what happens when there is limited vitamins?

reduced cell growth rate

what is the purpose of accessory factors in basal medium?

trace elements like iron and copper are necessary for effective cell growth

what is the purpose of phenol red in basal medium?

sensitive pH indicator

what happens when phenol red is in a lower pH?

phenol red becomes orange or yellow

what happens when there is bacterial contaimination in the basal medium?

overnight change of colour from red to yellow indicates bacterial contamination