3/20/22, 4:07 AM Mammalian Cell Culture

Type in Product Names, Product Numbers, or CAS Numbers to see suggestions.

Mammalian Cell Culture

Mammalian Cell Culture

Mammalian cell culture is an important tool for research, clinical, and pharmaceutical applications.
Cells isolated from animal tissues can be expanded in culture to study cell biology and disease or
Cookie
used for Disclaimer
the production of antibodies, proteins, and vaccines. Immortalized mammalian cell lines
can be grown in vitro for prolonged periods and are commonly used as simple models for complex
We use cookies in our website to give you the most relevant experience. By clicking or navigating the site, you
biology.are accepting the use of all our cookies according to our Cookie Policy / Privacy Statement. You are free to
decide in the Cookie Settings which categories you would like to allow. Please note that depending on what
GROWING
you select,MAMMALIAN
the full functionality of CELLS IN
the website VITRO
may no longer be available. You may review and change your
choices at any time. Further information can be found in our Privacy Policy
Cell growth requires a complex mixture of nutrients including sugars, amino acids, albumin,
vitamins, minerals, and growth factors. Cell culture media supply these essential nutrients for in
Cookie Settings
vitro mammalian cell culture. Mammalian Accept
cell cultures areAll Cookies
grown in incubators that provide a
sterile environment for growth at optimum temperature (37 °C) with 5% CO 2 to maintain pH levels
similar to that of mammalian blood.

https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/MY/en/applications/cell-culture-and-cell-culture-analysis/cell-culture-by-cell-type/mammalian-cell-culture 1/5
3/20/22, 4:07 AM Mammalian Cell Culture

Except for certain types of blood cells that can be cultured in suspension, most cells derived from
mammalian tissues require adherence to a surface for proper cell division and growth. Cell culture
surfaces are provided by treated polystyrene or glass flasks, plates, and filters designed for cell
attachment. Cell attachment can be facilitated by using synthetic polymers such as poly-D-lysine
(PDL) and extracellular matrix proteins including collagen that provide an attachment framework
for adhesion.

TECHNIQUES IN MAMMALIAN CELL CULTURE

Aseptic techniques are used to prevent contamination of cells grown in vitro. Mammalian cell
cultures require passaging or subculturing – which involves dilution of cells that have reached
confluence and replacement of depleted culture media – for cell health and propagation. To
passage adherent cell cultures, cells must be dissociated from culture surfaces using enzymatic
methods such as trypsinization or mechanical methods such as scraping prior to transfer to new
culture flasks or plates for re-attachment. Cell counting methods using hemacytometers and
automated cell counters assess cell viability and help to determine seeding densities for passaging
and proper cell densities for downstream processes. Cultured cells can be cryopreserved by
storage in liquid nitrogen, from which seed stocks can be thawed when working stocks are needed
again.

RELATED TECHNICAL ARTICLES

Extracellular Matrix Proteins and Tools for Cell Culture Optimization

Extracellular matrix proteins such as laminin, collagen, and fibronectin can be used as cell attachment substrates
in cell culture.

Corning® High Content Screening Microplates – Frequently Asked Questions

A frequently asked questions guide for users of the Corning® high content screening microplates.

Using Immortalized 16HBE14o- Human Bronchial Epithelial Cell Lines to Model Respiratory Lung Diseases
16HBE14o- human bronchial epithelial cells used to model respiratory epithelium for the research of cystic
fibrosis, viral pulmonary pathology (SARS-CoV), asthma, COPD, effects of smoking and air pollution. See over 5…

3D Neurosphere Culture Media

Cookie Disclaimer
3D neurosphere culture protocol to expand human U-87 MG glioblastoma cells in serum-free/xeno-free stem cell
culture media.
We useExplore over
cookies in our350 PromoCell
website products
to give you onrelevant
the most Sigma.com.
experience. By clicking or navigating the site, you
Aerobicare acceptingand
Glycolysis the the
use of all our cookies
Warburg Effectaccording to our Cookie Policy / Privacy Statement. You are free to
decideaninarticle
We presents the Cookie
aboutSettings which categories
the Warburg you
effect, and would
how it islike
thetoenhanced
allow. Please note thatofdepending
conversion onlactate
glucose to what
you
observed in select,
tumorthe fulleven
cells, functionality of the website
in the presence may levels
of normal no longer be available.
of oxygen. OttoYou may review
Heinrich and change
Warburg your
demonstrated …
choices at any time. Further information can be found in our Privacy Policy
See All

Cookie Settings Accept All Cookies

RELATED PROTOCOLS

Fibronectin Coating Protocol

Dilute fibronectin to the desired concentration Optimum conditions for attachment are dependent on cell type
https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/MY/en/applications/cell-culture-and-cell-culture-analysis/cell-culture-by-cell-type/mammalian-cell-culture 2/5
3/20/22, 4:07 AM Mammalian Cell Culture
Dilute fibronectin to the desired concentration. Optimum conditions for attachment are dependent on cell type
and application. The typical coating concentration is 1 – 5 ug/cm2.Fibronectin coating protocol, products, and…

Gelatin Coating Protocol

Gelatin Coating Protocol

Gelatin coating protocol, products, and FAQs.

Laminin Coating Protocol

Laminin coating protocol, products and FAQs at sigmaaldrich.com

Poly-L-Lysine Cell Attachment Protocol

Polyamino acids facilitate the attachment of cells and proteins to solid surfaces in biological applications. In cell
cultures normal attachment, growth, and development of many cell types are dependent on attachment factors…

See All

RELATED APPLICATIONS
Primary Cell Culture
Primary cells isolated directly from human and animal sources maintain physiological relevance of the tissues
from which they are derived, and are used for ADME/Tox screening. Find applications and methods for culturin…

3D Cell Culture
Applications, principles, and techniques for three-dimensional (3D) cell culture. Includes techniques and
descriptions of scaffold and scaffold-free methods matrices for the culture of complex in vitro models including…

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.

Cell Culture for Manufacturing

Cell culture is used in the manufacture of biologics including therapeutic proteins and antibodies, cell therapies,
and vaccines. Cell lines and culture media for production are developed for maximum yield and bioreactors hav…

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.

Cookie Disclaimer
Cell-Based Assays
CellularWe use cookies
assays, in our website
or cell-based assays, to
aregive you thetools
essential mostfor
relevant experience.
measuring By clicking
cell health, or navigating
viability, the site, you
proliferation,
migration,
areinvasion,
acceptingchemotaxis,
the use of allapoptosis,
our cookiesangiogenesis, oxidative
according to our Cookie stress,
Policy /cell signaling
Privacy and live
Statement. Youcell
areanalysis.
free to
decide in the Cookie Settings which categories you would like to allow. Please note that depending on what
Imagingyou select, &
Analysis theLive
full Cell
functionality
Imagingof the website may no longer be available. You may review and change your
An overview of at
choices current tools
any time. and reagents
Further for can
information livebe
cell imaging
found and
in our analysis
Privacy with applications in cell trafficking,
Policy
cell health, gene expression analysis, cell migration, 3D cell culture, cytoskeletal dynamics and more.

Cell Counting & Health Analysis Cookie Settings Accept All Cookies
Techniques for counting cells and monitoring cell health and viability in culture, including calorimetric and
fluorescent cell viability and proliferation assays. Methods for manual or automated cell counting include Coult…

https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/MY/en/applications/cell-culture-and-cell-culture-analysis/cell-culture-by-cell-type/mammalian-cell-culture 3/5
3/20/22, 4:07 AM Mammalian Cell Culture

RELATED PRODUCTS

HeLa Cell Line human

93021013, epitheloid cervix carcinoma

Read More...

Cookie Disclaimer
We use cookies in our website to give you the most relevant experience. By clicking or navigating the site, you
are accepting the use of all our cookies according to our Cookie Policy / Privacy Statement. You are free to
RELATED PRODUCT CATEGORIES
decide in the Cookie Settings which categories you would like to allow. Please note that depending on what
Mammalianyou select, the full functionality of the website may no longer be available. You may review and change your
Cell Lines
Cell lineschoices at any time.
from human Further
and other informationspecies
mammalian can be found in our Privacy
are essential Policy disease and biological systems,
for modeling
and are critical tools for protein, antibody, virus, and vaccine production. We offer authenticated, contaminant-…

Cookie Settings Accept All Cookies

Primary Cells
Primary cells are derived directly from living tissue and closely replicate the physiology of biological systems. Our
collection includes blood, patient tumor xenografts, and hepatocytes essential for drug screening and ADME/To…

Classical Media & Buffers

https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/MY/en/applications/cell-culture-and-cell-culture-analysis/cell-culture-by-cell-type/mammalian-cell-culture 4/5
3/20/22, 4:07 AM Mammalian Cell Culture
Classical Media & Buffers
Cell culture media formulations have been optimized over decades of research in response to diverse cellular
physiology. Select media such as DMEM, MEM, RPMI-1640, Ham’s F-10 & F-12 formulations, as well as serum-…

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 aci…

Human Serum
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.

FBS
FBS, or fetal bovine serum (also called FCS) is one of the most important supplements for mammalian cell culture.
Choose FBS grade based on documentation requirements and application specificity.

Attachment Factors
Attachment factors mimicking the extracellular matrix (ECM) provide important cues to cultured cells that
stimulate physiological growth and behavior. A wide array of biological and synthetic polymers can be selected t…

Cell Freezing Reagents

Protect valuable cell line stocks by choosing reagents that are designed to protect cells during ultralow
temperature storage. Our DMSO selection is application-tested, and ready-to-use cell freezing media are…

© 2022 Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and/or its affiliates. All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction of any materials from the site is strictly forbidden without permission.
Site Use Terms | Privacy Policy | General Terms and Conditions of Sale | Copyright Consent | Cookie Settings

Cookie Disclaimer
We use cookies in our website to give you the most relevant experience. By clicking or navigating the site, you
are accepting the use of all our cookies according to our Cookie Policy / Privacy Statement. You are free to
decide in the Cookie Settings which categories you would like to allow. Please note that depending on what
you select, the full functionality of the website may no longer be available. You may review and change your
choices at any time. Further information can be found in our Privacy Policy

Cookie Settings Accept All Cookies

https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/MY/en/applications/cell-culture-and-cell-culture-analysis/cell-culture-by-cell-type/mammalian-cell-culture 5/5