Hello!
I'm currently working with different breast cancer lines, from which I am trying to form mammospheres to asses CSC activity. I've read in several protocols that the addition of B27 supplement (https://www.thermofisher.com/order/catalog/product/17504044) to the mammosphere medium is necessary, but I don't quite understand why as, to my knowledge, this reagent is aimed at sustaining neurons growth. I am not being able to find the composition of this supplement either.
Anybody could tell me about the components that make B27 supplement that help promote mammosphere formation?
Thank yoy very much in advance!
Isabel.
B27 supplement is a mix of hormones and other molecules that were empirically devised to allow proliferation of certain neuronal cell lines in defined serum-free medium. These components are generally needed molecules and not specific nutrients for neuronal cells. They probably promote cell growth and proliferation in defined serum-free medium for a number of cell types and cell lines. You can find the exact formulation from vendors that sell B27 and probably other variations of the original formulation are available. See one variation from B27 at J Neurosci Methods. 2008 Jun 30; 171(2): 239–247.
B27 is a supplement which is added to serum free media to promote growth and proliferation of cells without differentiation (no FBS). It is true it is used for neuronal growth but it is not specific for it. Since mammosphere formation is done in serum free media, a supplementary growth factor is needed for growth and maintenance without differentiation, a condition needed for stem cells growth too. Its a complex mixture.
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