What is the difference in terms of content? Is Opti-MEM w/ FBS harmful to cells?
Opti-MEM is a serum free media and doesn't need the usual 10%FCS usually added to DMEM. You can use a lower conc of FCS ~4-5% for Opti-MEM. It might be relevant if you have cells that might be sensitive to higher concs of FCS?
In my past I've tried to influence researchers to use 'native sera' i.e. use mouse/rat sera you have prepared yourself (take a cardiac puncture of a healthy mouse/rat and spin it down after allowing it to clot in a glass tube and add 1-2% to a media prep). I found years ago FCS can change/influence IFNg levels. I've often been worried about what is in calf serum and how it could influence species different cells proliferation. But everyone continues to use FCS. Could be worth a comparison study on cell growth rates??
Hello Andrea Lebron Figueroa
Opti‐MEM is a serum‐reduced media that contains insulin, transferrin, hypoxanthine, thymidine, and trace elements that compensate for the adverse impact of FBS supplementation reduction with no change in the growth rate or morphology. This media is used for diluting the transfection reagents, sometimes as a transfection media and is also recommended for mammalian cell culture.
Adding FBS to Opti-MEM is not recommended because the constituents in Opti-MEM have been added in a proportion that suits its application. If Opti-MEM is supplemented with additional FBS, you may disturb the proportion of the components present in the media, and it may result in some components being present in excess than required for the cells. Anything in excess is always harmful.
DMEM is a standard culture media which is always supplemented with 5-10% FBS for optimum growth of cells. So, in addition to DMEM whatever extra nutrients are required for the optimum growth of cells would be supplied by FBS. In such a case a balance of nutrients is maintained. This may not be true with Opti-MEM which is already containing nutrients like insulin, transferrin, hypoxanthine, thymidine, and trace elements. Therefore, adding FBS would further increase the concentration of these components which may turn out to be harmful to the cells.
Best.
Malcolm is right, I've used it for transfecting cells. Cells were seeded in optimem prior to transfection. Was something the Lipofectamine reagent guide recommended as a parameter to try/optimize. Can't keep cells in their for long though, they wouldn't be able to grow.
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