FBS heat inactivation - (Jun/27/2006 )

Hello All,

Does anybody know why we have to heat inactivate FBS? Can't you just use it in cell culture right when you buy it? What temp do you put it at?

Cheers,

Mick

You can check this website: http://www.unc.edu/depts/tcf/tech_tipsHI.htm there are the answers to your questions

We dont heat inactivate FBS. I aliquot FBS as it is and then use it directly. works fine.

We don't heat inactivate FBS either

Some reports indicate that envaloped viral particles (such as lentivirus) are targets of complements-mediated membrane attack and can be inactivated if untreated serum is used.

hi MickII !heat inactivated serum is available in the market. but still if you want to heat inactivate to emove complement factors then you can treat small aliquotes as well as large aliquotes of serum. keep serum in a water bath at 56C for 30 min. or 65 C for 15 min while constantly swirling it. should be done under sterile conditions. or sterilize by 0.22 u filtration after treatment.
all the best