Description
Product Overview
SeamlessBio Donor Horse Serum (DHS) — EU Origin is collected exclusively from living donor horses (Equus caballus) — not from slaughter animals. Sterile filtered at 0.2 µm, BSE/TSE-free (horses are not a BSE risk species), and supplied with full lot documentation including a BSE/TSE freedom declaration.
Donor Horse Serum is the established supplement for PC-12 neuronal differentiation, murine hybridoma cultivation, insect cell culture (Sf9, Hi5), and selected human primary cell applications where FBS performance is suboptimal. The living-donor collection protocol delivers a higher and more consistent quality profile than slaughter-derived horse serum. See the full portfolio on our Animal Sera overview page.
Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Species | Equus caballus (domestic horse) |
| Designation | Donor Horse Serum (DHS) — living donor collection |
| Origin | EU — controlled donor facilities |
| Filtration | 0.2 µm sterile filtered |
| BSE/TSE status | BSE/TSE-free — horses are not a recognised BSE risk species; freedom declaration included |
| Mycoplasma | Negative (tested) |
| Storage | –20 °C long-term | +4 °C short-term |
| Shelf life | Min. 12 months from manufacture |
| Options | Heat inactivated (56 °C, 30 min) on request |
| Documentation | CoA, CoO, SDS, BSE/TSE freedom declaration; additional documents on request |
| Formats | 100 mL, 500 mL, 1 L; bulk on request |
| Regulatory | Research Use Only (RUO) |
Applications
| Application | Protocol | Note |
|---|---|---|
| PC-12 neuronal differentiation | 5% DHS + 1% FBS in DMEM, with NGF | Industry-standard protocol for NGF-induced neurite outgrowth in rat pheochromocytoma PC-12 cells — horse serum is required for this differentiation model |
| Murine hybridoma cultivation | 10–20% DHS in RPMI or DMEM | Often superior to FBS for stable monoclonal antibody production — lower IgG interference, consistent lot quality from living donors |
| Insect cell culture (Sf9, Hi5) | 5–10% DHS as serum supplement | Established supplement for baculovirus expression systems prior to serum-free adaptation |
| Human primary neurons & muscle cells | 5–10% DHS in neurobasal or DMEM | Selected human primary neuronal and skeletal muscle cell cultures benefit from horse serum over FBS — species-specific growth factor profile |
Other Animal Sera Available
| Species | Typical Application | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Rat serum | Immunoassay blocking, cross-reactivity control, rat cell culture | In stock |
| Mouse serum (NMS) | ELISA control, Western blot, hybridoma | In stock |
| Rabbit serum (NRS) | IHC, IFA, ELISA, antibody blocking | In stock |
| Sheep serum (NSS) | IHC, complement fixation, secondary antibody blocking | In stock |
| Goat serum (NGS) | IHC, IFA, ELISA, multiplex assays | In stock |
| Chicken serum | IgY assays, cross-reactivity, veterinary diagnostics | In stock |
| Pig serum | Preclinical models, porcine primary cell culture | In stock |
| Horse serum (DHS) | PC-12, hybridoma, insect cells, primary neurons | In stock |
| Guinea pig serum | Complement fixation test (CFT) | On request |
Available Formats
| Format | Size |
|---|---|
| Bottle | 100 mL |
| Bottle | 500 mL |
| Bottle | 1 L |
| Bulk | On request |
Key Benefits
Batch Reservation
Reserve validated lots up to 36 months for reproducible long-term workflows.
Full Documentation
CoA, CoO, SDS and BSE/TSE freedom declaration — from ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 certified partner facilities. Additional documents on request.
EU & Swiss Supply
Sourced from certified EU donor facilities — fast cold-chain delivery across EU, UK and Switzerland.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should horse serum be used instead of FBS?
Horse serum is the preferred alternative to FBS for four specific applications: PC-12 neuronal differentiation (where horse serum is required by the standard NGF protocol), murine hybridoma cultivation (often superior lot-to-lot consistency and lower IgG interference for monoclonal antibody production), insect cell culture (Sf9 and Hi5 in baculovirus expression systems), and selected human primary neuronal and muscle cell cultures. For all other standard immortalised mammalian cell lines, FBS remains the standard supplement.
What is the difference between Donor Horse Serum and slaughter-derived horse serum?
Donor Horse Serum (DHS) is collected from living, healthy donor horses through a controlled bleeding programme — similar to how human blood donors are managed. This produces a more consistent protein composition and lower contamination risk compared to serum collected at slaughter, where stress hormones and processing variables can affect quality. SeamlessBio supplies exclusively DHS, which is the standard specified in most peer-reviewed PC-12 and hybridoma protocols.
What is the BSE/TSE status of EU Donor Horse Serum?
Horses (Equus caballus) are not a recognised BSE risk species — equine BSE/TSE has never been documented. EU Donor Horse Serum is therefore supplied with a BSE/TSE freedom declaration as standard. No special regulatory documentation for TSE risk is required beyond this declaration, making horse serum an administratively straightforward choice compared to ruminant-derived bovine sera for applications where TSE documentation is a concern.
Is heat-inactivated Donor Horse Serum available?
Yes — heat inactivation (56 °C, 30 min) is available on request. Heat inactivation destroys complement proteins and is recommended for complement-sensitive cell culture applications, particularly hybridoma cultivation and immunological assays. Heat inactivation is documented in the lot Certificate of Analysis. Please specify the requirement when requesting a quote.
What documentation is supplied with EU Donor Horse Serum?
Every order includes a Certificate of Analysis (CoA), Certificate of Origin (CoO), Safety Data Sheet (SDS), and BSE/TSE freedom declaration as standard. Additional documentation — sterility and mycoplasma test protocols — is available on request. Products are handled at ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 certified partner facilities. Batch reservation for up to 36 months is available on request.
Request a Quote or Sample
48h response · EU & Swiss Supply · Batch reservation available · BSE/TSE-free declaration included
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