Serum is the blood component that can be obtained after coagulation and by removing cellular components. Besides serum proteins it contains, e.g. growth factors, amino acids and hormones. This comprehensive mix makes serum one of the most important supplements, supporting cells to grow and proliferate in vitro cell culture.
Of special interest is the fetal bovine serum (FBS). It is especially rich in growth factors and is particularly low in anti-bodies, which may influence the cell culture work.
While whole serum is acceptable for routine processes, studies involving nutritional parameters or incorporation of labeled material (e.g. radioactive amino acids) require precise removal of the certain constituents. The most commonly used method for removal of these constituents is dialysis of the whole serum. Dialysis is performed with a cut off of 10 kDa.