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FBS - Fetal Bovine Serum & Fetal Calf Serum

Grey tissue culture hood containing a black handheld cell counter, a square media bottles filled with red fluid, and a cylindrical media bottle filled halfway with red fluid in the foreground. In the middle of the tissue culture hood is a pink tube holder with three clear tubes, a six well clear plate with three wells filled with red media, and two T flasks halfway filled with red fluid. In the background, a white pipette gun, two square media bottles filled with red or clear fluid, and a vortexer. To the left, a male scientist in a white coat walks by.

Fetal bovine serum (FBS) is the most widely-used growth supplement for cell culture media. When used at appropriate concentrations, it supplies many defined and undefined components that have been shown to satisfy specific metabolic requirements for the culture of cells. FBS is a complex mixture of biomolecules that includes growth factors, proteins, trace elements, vitamins, and hormones that are important for the growth and maintenance of cells in vitro culture. To learn more about how our FBS will work in your application, cell culture media request a sample.

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If you are using FBS, media, or reagents from Gibco or Life Technologies/Invitrogen, click here to find our replacement product number.

FBS in Cell Culture

Finding the right FBS has never been easier. As cell culturists, we understand how important it is to find the fetal bovine serum (FBS) that is right for your lab needs and budget. Sustained, cost-effective cell growth and maintenance – along with the consistent culture outcomes that make your experimental results reproducible – depend on choosing and stocking appropriate–quality FBS.

Our FBS selection categories make it easy to choose an FBS product suitable for any cell culture application, based on relevant parameters such as γ-irradiation, geographic origin, suitability for hybridoma or insect culture, need for heat-inactivation, or special application testing.

Serum bottle in the background halfway filled with golden liquid. In the foreground, a pipette partially filled with gold liquid is pulling out of a bottle top and dripping.

FBS Classic

FBS products that are suitable for general cell culture applications are collected in the FBS Classic portfolio. These products include serum products that have the following attributes:

  • Must pass rigorous testing of up to 48 defined quality release parameters, including endotoxin and hemoglobin
  • Dialyzed
  • Charcoal-stripped
  • 0.1 μm triple-filtered
  • USA, USDA, Canada, Australia, and other origin
Request a Sample
Scientist in full protective gown and mask looking through a microscope at cells in a T flask.

FBS Premier

For customers using FBS in a biomanufacturing process. Products are manufactured using select raw materials at specialist facilities, frequently employing Single Use Disposal technologies.

FBS Premier products are supported by enhanced levels of documentation, including EDQM Certificates of Suitability. They are also QC tested and released to enhanced levels, especially after being Gamma Irradiated using our validated SER-TAIN process.

  • Stringent testing and release procedures based on internationally recognized regulatory guidelines
  • Intended Use: For Research or Further Manufacturing
  • USA, Australia, and New Zealand origin
Request a Sample

FBS Select

Products designated FBS Select are pre-qualified for specialized cell and tissue culture including supplementation of stem cells, cardiomyocytes, and cells cultured for the development of immunotherapeutics. FBS Select products include sera that are:

  • EmbryoMax® ES (embryonic stem) cell-qualified
  • Mesenchymal stem cell-qualified
  • HL-1 cell-screened
  • Ultra-low IgG
  • Dialyzed by ultrafiltration
  • FBS Superior, EU approved

For more information about the FBS Select portfolio of products, click here.

Request a Sample
Fluorescnet staining of perinuclear ANF (green) and nuclear DAPI (blue) in the presence of HL-1 screened FBS

What is Fetal Bovine Serum?

FBS is an important part of your cell culture experiment, and can contain a mixture of growth factors, hormones, proteins, trace elements, vitamins, and more. Have other questions about serum? Discover biological, quality, and regulatory information about sera and other answers to your frequently asked questions, such as:

  • How to properly store and thaw serum
  • Testing and quality standards
  • Why there is lot-to-lot variability in serum

Related Resources

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Related Product Categories
Sera
Origin-certified cell culture sera, including FBS, undergo rigorous screening and performance testing for quality control.
Human Serum for Cell Culture
Human serum is used to culture human cells and is available as plasma-derived AB human serum, clotted whole blood AB human serum, heat inactivated preparations, and complement-depleted preparations.
Other Sera for Cell Culture
Although FBS is the most common serum variety used for cell culture, adult and newborn bovine serum and sera from other species are alternatives for cell culture supplementation.
Classical Media & Buffers
Choose from a range of optimized cell culture media formulations, including DMEM, RPMI-1640, and serum-free options for diverse cellular needs.
Supplements for Cell Culture
Cell culture supplements enable the customization of media with defined characteristics to support specific applications and serum-free culture needs. Our culture-grade supplements include ITS formulations, amino acids, vitamins, antibiotics, and reagents qualified for hybridoma and insect cell culture.
Mammalian Cell Lines
Cell lines from human and other mammalian species are essential for modeling disease and biological systems, and are critical tools for protein, antibody, virus, and vaccine production. We offer authenticated, contaminant-free cell lines, many in partnership with ECACC.
Primary Cell Culture
Discover our collection of validated human primary cells from PromoCell® human primary cells, primary blood and immune cells from BioIVT, and more.
Stericup® Vacuum Filters
Next-gen Stericup® Quick Release: upgraded design enhances usability, streamlines filtration, safeguards cell cultures with Millipore® membranes.
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Mammalian Cell Culture
Applications, principles, and methods for in vitro mammalian cell culture including links to articles, protocols, and videos for proper aseptic technique, passaging and subculturing, and culture media considerations.
Primary Cell Culture Techniques
Cultivate mammalian primary cells for ADME/Tox screening, maintaining physiological relevance for accurate results.
Stem Cell Culture
An overview of different stem cell types, stem cell culture basics and stem cell applications in basic research and clinical research applications, such as tissue regeneration, genetic diseases and cancer.
3D Cell Culture
Explore scaffold and scaffold-free methods for three-dimensional (3D) cell culture, including organoids and spheroids.
Cell Culture Media Preparation
Culture media preparation for in vitro cell cultivation including preparation of different media formats, sterilization methods, cell growth and regulation supplements, media storage and use.
Cell Growth & Maintenance
A synopsis of the conditions, media, nutrients, cultureware, and environments required for successful propagation of mammalian and yeast cells. Nutrient reagents, sterile technique and filtration, and requirements for 2D, 3D, and suspension cultures are described.
Cell Culture Troubleshooting
Expert tips for correcting common problems with cell culture including bacterial and fungal contamination, debris in culture media, cell detachment or clumping, slow growth, and low viability.
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