Serum Replacement for Cell Culture
Defined supplements that replace animal serum in cell culture — from Human Platelet Lysate for xeno-free MSC expansion to recombinant albumin as a protein carrier in chemically defined media. Improve reproducibility, reduce variability and advance your regulatory pathway.
Request InformationSerum Replacement Products
Human Platelet Lysate (hPL)
Xeno-free serum replacement for mesenchymal stem cell expansion
hPL is the gold standard xeno-free serum replacement for clinical-grade MSC manufacturing. Contains a broad spectrum of human growth factors — PDGF, TGF-β, FGF, EGF, VEGF, IGF — supporting robust MSC proliferation with maintained multipotency and surface marker phenotype.
| Cell lines | MSCs (BM, adipose, cord), HSCs, fibroblasts |
| Usage concentration | 5–10% in serum-free basal medium |
| Classification | Xeno-free — human-derived only |
| GMP grade | Available on request |
| Documentation | CoA, pathogen testing, pooled donor |
Recombinant Human Albumin (rHSA)
Defined protein carrier for serum-free and xeno-free media
rHSA produced in rice (Oryza sativa) or CHO cells provides a fully defined, animal-free alternative to serum-derived BSA or HSA. Used as a fatty acid vehicle, osmotic stabiliser and cryoprotectant in serum-free formulations for stem cells, iPSC, organoids and biopharmaceutical production.
| Application | Media supplement, cryoprotection, fatty acid carrier |
| Production | Rice-derived or CHO-expressed |
| Classification | Animal-origin-free (rice) or defined (CHO) |
| Grades | Premium, Economy, CHO-expressed |
| IgG-free | Yes |
BSA — IgG-Free, Low Endotoxin
Bovine serum albumin for serum-free media supplementation
IgG-free, low endotoxin BSA (Fraction V) as a cost-effective protein carrier and stabiliser in serum-free media. Used in organoid culture, N2B27-based formulations, DMPK assay buffers, and as a blocking reagent. Available in fatty acid-free variant for lipid research applications.
| Variants | Standard · Low endotoxin · Fatty acid-free · pH 5.2 |
| IgG content | <2 mg/g (IgG-free grade) |
| Endotoxin | <1 EU/mg (low endotoxin grade) |
| Application | Media supplement, assay buffers, cell culture |
| Animal origin | Bovine serum-derived |
Human Serum AB / Type AB Male
Xeno-free serum supplement for T-cell and immune cell culture
Human Serum Type AB (blood group AB, male donors) is the standard xeno-free serum supplement for T-cell expansion protocols in CAR-T manufacturing. Replaces FBS in PBMC and T-cell expansion media while maintaining CD4/CD8 ratios and T-cell activation efficiency.
| Blood group | AB (universal — no anti-A or anti-B antibodies) |
| Donor | Male (eliminates HLA antibodies from female donors) |
| Application | T-cell expansion, PBMC culture, immune assays |
| Classification | Xeno-free — human-derived |
| Usage concentration | 2–10% in T-cell expansion medium |
Which Serum Replacement for Which Application?
| Application | Recommended Replacement | Classification | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSC expansion (clinical) | hPL (5–10%) | Xeno-free | Gold standard — equivalent or superior to FBS for MSC growth |
| T-cell / CAR-T expansion | Human Serum AB Male (2–10%) | Xeno-free | Maintains CD4/CD8 ratio, eliminates HLA antibody risk |
| iPSC / hPSC (primed) | rHSA + defined supplements | Animal-origin-free | Component in E8/Essential 8-type formulations |
| Naive hPSC | NaivaCore (BSA Frac V IgG-free) | Defined | NT-Supplement contains BSA Fraction V as protein carrier |
| Organoid culture | BSA IgG-free or rHSA | Defined | N2B27-based organoid media use BSA as protein carrier |
| CHO mAb production | rHSA + defined amino acids | Chemically defined | Replaces serum protein functions in CD-CHO formulations |
| HEK293 vector production | Serum-free CD medium | AOF | No albumin supplement required in optimised SF media |
| DMPK assay buffers | BSA fatty acid-free (0.1–1%) | Defined | Protein binding studies require fatty acid-free BSA |
Why Replace Animal Serum?
Regulatory Compliance
Serum-free and xeno-free formulations eliminate BSE/TSE risk documentation requirements and simplify IND, IMPD and BLA/MAA submissions for clinical-grade manufacturing.
Batch Consistency
FBS lot-to-lot variability is one of the leading sources of irreproducible cell culture results. Defined serum replacements eliminate this variable.
Ethical & Sustainable
Reducing or eliminating FBS use is a priority for ethical cell culture. Human-derived (hPL, Human Serum) and recombinant (rHSA) alternatives avoid fetal animal collection.
Supply Chain Security
FBS supply is subject to global market fluctuations, origin restrictions and seasonal variation. EU-sourced serum replacements offer more stable supply with shorter lead times.
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