FluxMPS™ MCDB 153 Medium
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FluxMPS™ MCDB 153 Medium
MCDB 153 is a chemically defined medium designed for the growth of non-transformed cell types in serum-free conditions. A modification of Ham's nutrient mixture F-12, it is optimized for human epidermal keratinocyte culture, clonal growth of chicken embryo fibroblasts, and Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells using low levels of Fetal Bovine Serum Protein (FBSP). FluxMPS™ delivers this formulation through a 0.04 micron quadruple-stage filtration process engineered for microfluidic, Organ-on-Chip (OoC), and Lab-on-Chip (LoC) platforms.
- Two ready-to-use FluxMPS™ configurations: MCDB 153 (with sodium bicarbonate) and MCDB 153 w/o Bicarbonate
- Optimized for human epidermal keratinocyte culture, clonal growth of chicken embryo fibroblasts, and CHO cells using low levels of FBSP
- Standard glucose concentration of 1081.00 mg/L and standard HEPES concentration of 28mM at 1X
- Both configurations include L-Glutamine, Sodium Pyruvate, HEPES, and Phenol Red as standard, plus a trace-element supplement; Sodium Bicarbonate is included in the standard configuration and omitted in the w/o Bicarbonate configuration
- Purified through FluxMPS™ quadruple-stage 0.04 micron filtration for microfluidic and Organ-on-Chip / Tissue-on-Chip / Lab-on-Chip compatibility
- Supplemented with growth factors and hormones including hydrocortisone, T3, testosterone, insulin, transferrin, and sodium selenite; includes MEM Non-Essential Amino Acids (NEAA) and a wide array of customizable trace elements
- Available in 500 mL and 1000 mL sizes; stored at 2-8°C away from bright light; fully customizable via support@diagnocine.com
- Concentration1X
- Glucose1081.00 mg/L
- HEPES concentration28mM (standard)
- L-GlutamineIncluded (both)
- Sodium PyruvateIncluded (both)
- Sodium BicarbonateVariant-dependent
- Phenol RedIncluded (both)
- SpecialWith Trace Elements
- Sizes500 mL / 1000 mL
- Storage2-8°C, protect from light
At-a-Glance Supplement Matrix
Check the supplement(s) you require, press Search to confirm which configuration(s) include them, then click straight through to the product page via the catalog-number link or the View button.
| Name | Cat No. | L-Glutamine | Pyruvate | Bicarbonate | HEPES | Phenol Red | Special | Product Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCDB 153 | DCP-M153H1X | check | check | check | check | check | With Trace Elements | Viewarrow_forward |
| MCDB 153 w/o Bicarbonate | DCP-M153H-B1X | check | check | remove | check | check | With Trace Elements | Viewarrow_forward |
About MCDB 153 Medium
MCDB media were developed for the culture of specific cell types without a serum supplement. The media were supplemented with growth factors, hormones, trace elements, or low levels of dialyzed fetal bovine serum protein (FBSP), and each MCDB medium was formulated for a specific cell type: MCDB 105 and 110 for rapid clonal growth of normal human diploid cells, MCDB 131 originally for human micro-vascular endothelial cells (HMVEC), and MCDB 151, 201, and 302 originally for human keratinocytes, clonal growth of chick embryo fibroblasts, and CHO cells respectively.
MCDB 153 medium is a specialized cell culture medium designed for the growth of non-transformed cell types in serum-free conditions. It is a modification of Ham's nutrient mixture F-12, developed to support specific cell types without the need for serum supplementation. This medium has been optimized for human epidermal keratinocyte culture, clonal growth of chicken embryo fibroblasts, and Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells using low levels of Fetal Bovine Serum Protein (FBSP).
The composition of MCDB 153 medium includes essential components for cell growth and maintenance. MCDB 153 is supplemented with various growth factors and hormones, including hydrocortisone, T3, testosterone, insulin, transferrin, and sodium selenite, which support cell proliferation and function. One of the key features of MCDB 153 is its inclusion of MEM Non-Essential Amino Acids (NEAA), which provide additional nutritional support for cells. MCDB 153 is designed to be used with a wide array of trace elements, allowing for customization based on specific cell requirements.
Origins & Development
MCDB media are a family of chemically defined, cell-type-specific basal formulations developed at the Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCDB) at the University of Colorado, Boulder, primarily by Richard G. Ham and Wallace L. McKeehan during the 1970s and 1980s. The department acronym gives the series its name; the department itself was founded in 1968 by pioneering cell biologist Keith Porter, its first chair. Unlike the classical Eagle-lineage media (BME, MEM, DMEM), which were designed as general-purpose basal formulations to be supplemented with serum, each MCDB medium was engineered from the ground up, qualitatively and quantitatively, to support the clonal growth and long-term maintenance of one specific, defined cell type.
The MCDB program was catalyzed by a 1976 discovery: McKeehan, Hamilton, and Ham reported in PNAS that selenium is an essential trace nutrient for clonal growth of WI-38 diploid human fibroblasts at minimal serum-protein concentrations, and that higher serum levels had simply been masking the requirement by supplying selenium as a contaminant. This finding directly stimulated the formal MCDB series, beginning with MCDB 104 in 1977.
MCDB 151 was developed by Peehl and Ham (In Vitro 16(6): 526-540, 1980; PMID 6156122), starting from Ham's F-12 to support clonal growth of human epidermal keratinocytes with as little as 1 mg/mL dialyzed FBS protein and 10 µg/mL hydrocortisone. MCDB 152 followed in 1982, developed by Tsao, Walthall, and Ham (J. Cell Physiol. 110(2): 219-229), adding the MCDB 104 trace-element mixture and supporting keratinocyte colony formation in a completely defined medium with EGF, transferrin, insulin, hydrocortisone, ethanolamine, phosphoethanolamine, and progesterone.
MCDB 153 — the standard keratinocyte medium still in widespread use — was published by Boyce and Ham in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology (81(1 Suppl): 33s-40s, 1983; PMID 6345690). Supplemented with EGF, insulin, hydrocortisone, ethanolamine, and phosphoethanolamine (with bovine pituitary extract for primary cultures and serial passage), it eliminates the need for feeder layers, conditioned medium, serum, and specialized surfaces. At an optimal calcium concentration of 0.3 mM, colony-forming efficiency is approximately 30% with approximately 0.96 doublings per day; raising calcium to 1.0 mM induces stratification and terminal differentiation. MCDB 153 is recognized as the parent of the modern keratinocyte serum-free medium (KSFM) family, and its properties defined the formulation space for subsequent commercial keratinocyte media.
In 1979, Ham and McKeehan codified the principles, nomenclature, and nutritional basis of the entire MCDB program in "Media and growth requirements," Chapter 5 of Methods in Enzymology (58: 44-93), which remains a key primary reference for the series.
The MCDB Series Family Tree
MCDB 153 descends from MCDB 151 and MCDB 152, all keratinocyte-focused media within the broader F-12-derived MCDB nutritional-optimization program, and is itself the recognized parent of the modern keratinocyte serum-free medium (KSFM) family.
| Medium | Year | Primary Developers | Primary Target Cell | Parent Medium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCDB 104 | 1977 | McKeehan, McKeehan, Hammond, Ham | WI-38 human lung fibroblasts | Ham's F-12 |
| MCDB 105 | ~1978-1980 | Ham, McKeehan | WI-38, MRC-5, IMR-90 fibroblasts | MCDB 104 |
| MCDB 110 | ~1980-1981 | Bettger, Boyce, Walthall, Ham | Human diploid fibroblasts (serum-free) | MCDB 105 |
| MCDB 131 | 1987 | Knedler, Ham | Human microvascular endothelial cells | MCDB 402 |
| MCDB 151 | 1980 | Peehl, Ham | Human epidermal keratinocytes (low-serum) | Ham's F-12 |
| MCDB 152 | 1982 | Tsao, Walthall, Ham | Human keratinocytes (defined) | MCDB 151 |
| MCDB 153 | 1983 | Boyce, Ham | Human epidermal keratinocytes (serum-free) | MCDB 151/152 |
| MCDB 201 | 1977 | McKeehan, Ham | Chick embryo fibroblasts | Ham's F-12 |
| MCDB 301/302 | 1977 | Hamilton, Ham | CHO cells (protein-free) | Ham's F-12 |
| MCDB 120 | 1988 | Ham et al. | Human muscle satellite cells | Ham's F-12 |
Composition
MCDB 153 provides a carefully balanced mixture of inorganic salts, amino acids, vitamins, and other nutrients tailored to keratinocyte and related non-transformed cell requirements, supplied with MEM Non-Essential Amino Acids, a trace-element supplement ("Special: with Trace Elements"), and, in the standard configuration, sodium bicarbonate. The tables below present the full source-verified composition of the standard MCDB 153 nutrient mixture.
| Standard concentration | 1X |
| Standard glucose concentration | 1081.00 mg/L |
| Standard HEPES concentration | 28mM |
| L-Glutamine | Included (both configurations) |
| Sodium Pyruvate | Included (both configurations) |
| Sodium Bicarbonate | Included in MCDB 153 (DCP-M153H1X); omitted in MCDB 153 w/o Bicarbonate (DCP-M153H-B1X) |
| Phenol Red | Included (both configurations) |
| Special | With Trace Elements (both configurations) |
| Supplemented growth factors / hormones | Hydrocortisone, T3, testosterone, insulin, transferrin, sodium selenite |
| Non-Essential Amino Acids | MEM Non-Essential Amino Acids (NEAA) included |
| Sizes | 500 mL, 1000 mL |
| Storage | 2-8°C, away from bright light |
| Ingredient | mg/L |
|---|---|
| Ammonium metavanadate | 0.000585 |
| Calcium chloride dihydrate | 4.411 |
| Cupric sulfate pentahydrate | 0.00275 |
| Disodium hydrogen phosphate (anhydrous) | 284.088 |
| Ferrous sulfate heptahydrate | 1.390 |
| Magnesium chloride hexahydrate | 122.000 |
| Manganese sulfate | 0.000151 |
| Molybdic acid ammonium tetrahydrate | 0.00124 |
| Nickel chloride | 0.00012 |
| Potassium chloride | 111.830 |
| Sodium acetate (anhydrous) | 301.530 |
| Sodium chloride | 7599.000 |
| Sodium metasilicate nonahydrate | 0.1421 |
| Sodium selenite | 0.0038 |
| Stannous chloride monohydrate | 0.000113 |
| Zinc sulfate heptahydrate | 0.144 |
| Ingredient | mg/L |
|---|---|
| Glycine | 7.510 |
| L-Alanine | 8.910 |
| L-Arginine hydrochloride | 210.700 |
| L-Asparagine monohydrate | 15.000 |
| L-Aspartic acid | 3.990 |
| L-Cysteine hydrochloride monohydrate | 42.040 |
| L-Glutamic acid | 14.710 |
| L-Glutamine | 877.200 |
| L-Histidine hydrochloride monohydrate | 16.770 |
| L-Isoleucine | 1.968 |
| L-Leucine | 65.600 |
| L-Lysine hydrochloride | 18.270 |
| L-Methionine | 4.480 |
| L-Phenylalanine | 4.960 |
| L-Proline | 34.530 |
| L-Serine | 63.060 |
| L-Threonine | 11.910 |
| L-Tryptophan | 3.060 |
| L-Tyrosine disodium salt dihydrate | 3.410 |
| L-Valine | 35.130 |
| Ingredient | mg/L |
|---|---|
| Choline chloride | 13.960 |
| D-Biotin | 0.0146 |
| D-Pantothenic acid (hemicalcium) | 0.238 |
| Folic acid | 0.790 |
| Niacinamide | 0.03663 |
| Pyridoxine hydrochloride | 0.06171 |
| Riboflavin | 0.0376 |
| Thiamine hydrochloride | 0.337 |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.407 |
| myo-Inositol | 18.020 |
| Ingredient | mg/L |
|---|---|
| Adenine hydrochloride | 30.880 |
| D-Glucose | 1081.000 |
| HEPES buffer | 6600.000 |
| Phenol red sodium salt | 1.242 |
| Putrescine dihydrochloride | 0.161 |
| Sodium pyruvate | 55.000 |
| Thioctic acid (alpha-lipoic acid) | 0.206 |
| Thymidine | 0.727 |
Media Lineage Comparison
How MCDB 153 compares to two other F-12-derived MCDB-series media, and how the series as a whole differs from classical Eagle-lineage basal media.
| Feature | MCDB 105 | MCDB 153 | MCDB 131 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary developer & year | McKeehan, Ham (~1978-1980) | Boyce & Ham (1983) | Knedler & Ham (1987) |
| Target cell type | Human diploid fibroblasts | Human epidermal keratinocytes (also CHO, chick fibroblasts) | Human microvascular endothelial cells |
| Parent formulation | MCDB 104 → Ham's F-12 | MCDB 151/152 → Ham's F-12 | MCDB 402 → Ham's F-12 |
| Glucose | 720.64 mg/L (~4.0 mM) | 1081.0 mg/L (~6.0 mM) | 1000 mg/L (~5.5 mM) |
| Calcium (CaCl2.2H2O) | 147.0 mg/L | 4.411 mg/L (very low; base ~0.03 mM) | 235.2 mg/L |
| Magnesium | MgSO4 120.38 mg/L (~1 mM) | MgCl2.6H2O 122.0 mg/L | MgSO4 1204.0 mg/L (10 mM) |
| Selenium (Na2SeO3) | 0.0052 mg/L | 0.0038 mg/L | 0.0038 mg/L |
| Iron source | FeSO4.7H2O 1.390 mg/L | FeSO4.7H2O 1.390 mg/L | FeSO4.7H2O 0.283 mg/L |
| Glutamine | 365.3 mg/L | 877.2 mg/L | Listed separately; not in base |
| Folinic acid | Yes (calcium salt) | No (folic acid 0.790 mg/L) | Yes (calcium salt) |
| Biotin | 0.007339 mg/L | 0.0146 mg/L | 0.0073 mg/L |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.136 mg/L | 0.407 mg/L | 0.0136 mg/L |
| Adenine | 1.720 mg/L | 30.880 mg/L | 0.135 mg/L |
| Sodium acetate | Absent | 301.530 mg/L | Absent |
| Phosphate source | KH2PO4 (408.27 mg/L) | Na2HPO4 (284.088 mg/L) | Na2HPO4 |
| HEPES | 5958 mg/L (25 mM) | 6600 mg/L (28 mM) | No HEPES; bicarbonate only |
| Sodium bicarbonate | Without (HEPES-buffered) | Without (add 1.176 g/L for CO2 system) | 1.176 g/L (requires 5-10% CO2) |
| Sodium pyruvate | 110.0 mg/L | 55.0 mg/L | 110.0 mg/L |
| Serum requirement | Low-serum (dFBS ~25 µg/mL) or serum-free with supplements | Serum-free with EGF, insulin, hydrocortisone, BPE | 0.7% dFBS + EGF + hydrocortisone |
| pH | ~4.6-5.2 (unadjusted powder, no bicarbonate) | 6.40-7.00 (with NaHCO3) | ~7.4 |
| Osmolality | 240-280 mOsm/kg (without NaHCO3) | 320-360 mOsm/kg (with NaHCO3) | 280 ± 20 mOsm/kg |
Distinguishing Features Documented Across the MCDB Series
- Comprehensive trace-element panel covering selenium, zinc, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, nickel, tin, and silicon — elements absent from DMEM, MEM, BME, and RPMI 1640, and present in MCDB 153's own inorganic-salts profile above
- Folic acid used (not folinic acid) in MCDB 153 — unlike MCDB 105 and MCDB 131, which substitute folinic acid (5-formyltetrahydrofolate) for folic acid
- Adenine supplementation as a free purine source, highest among the compared media at 30.88 mg/L in MCDB 153 (vs 1.72 mg/L in MCDB 105 and 0.135 mg/L in MCDB 131), absent from classical Eagle media (DMEM, MEM)
- Thymidine inclusion as a preformed pyrimidine nucleoside (0.727 mg/L in MCDB 153), allowing cells to bypass de novo synthesis
- Putrescine dihydrochloride (0.161 mg/L in MCDB 153), a polyamine growth factor and precursor to spermidine and spermine, absent from DMEM, MEM, BME, RPMI 1640, and IMDM
- Exceptionally low calcium (CaCl2.2H2O 4.411 mg/L, ~0.03 mM base) compared to DMEM (265 mg/L), MEM, and RPMI — Boyce and Ham showed optimal keratinocyte clonal growth at 0.3 mM Ca2+, with calcium above 1.0 mM inducing stratification and terminal differentiation, making calcium a key regulatory lever
- HEPES as a flexible buffering strategy: MCDB 153 is supplied without sodium bicarbonate and relies on HEPES (28 mM); bicarbonate (1.176 g/L) and CO2 are added by the user when a bicarbonate co-buffer is desired
- Sodium acetate inclusion (301.530 mg/L), present in MCDB 153 but absent from MCDB 105 and MCDB 131
MCDB Composition vs. Classical Media: Key Distinctions
| Feature | DMEM (high-glucose) | MEM | MCDB 105 | MCDB 153 | MCDB 131 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amino acids | 15 (no Asn, Asp, Glu, Pro, Ala) | 13 | 20 (all proteinogenic) | 20 | 19 |
| Selenium | Absent | Absent | 0.0052 mg/L | 0.0038 mg/L | 0.0038 mg/L |
| Folinic acid | Absent | Absent | Present | Absent (folic acid) | Present |
| Folic acid | 4.0 mg/L | 1.0 mg/L | Absent | 0.79 mg/L | Absent |
| Adenine | Absent | Absent | 1.72 mg/L | 30.88 mg/L | 0.135 mg/L |
| Thymidine | Absent | Absent | 0.0727 mg/L | 0.727 mg/L | Present |
| Putrescine | Absent | Absent | Present | 0.161 mg/L | Present |
| Multi-trace elements | Absent (Fe(NO3)3 only) | Absent | Multi-element | Multi-element | Multi-element |
| HEPES | Absent | Absent | 25 mM | 28 mM | Absent |
| Glucose | 4500 mg/L | 1000 mg/L | 720.64 mg/L (~4 mM) | 1081 mg/L (~6 mM) | 1000 mg/L |
| Calcium | 265 mg/L | 200 mg/L | 147 mg/L | 4.411 mg/L | 235.2 mg/L |
| Vitamin B12 | Absent | Absent | 0.136 mg/L | 0.407 mg/L | 0.0136 mg/L |
| Biotin | Absent | Absent | 0.0073 mg/L | 0.0146 mg/L | 0.0073 mg/L |
| Serum requirement | 10% FBS typical | 5-10% FBS | Low-serum or serum-free | Serum-free with supplements | 0.7-2% dFBS or defined |
Why FluxMPS™
Quadruple-Stage 0.04 Micron Filtration
Purified finer than any ready-to-use cell culture media currently available, removing particulates and protein aggregates before they reach the chip.
Engineered for Microfluidic Flow
Formulated for Organ-on-Chip (OoC), Tissue-on-Chip (ToC), and Lab-on-Chip (LoC) platforms, where the medium is itself part of the instrument.
Optical Clarity
Supports real-time imaging and integrated biosensing across long-duration culture and perfusion studies.
Serum-Free Keratinocyte Heritage
Rooted in the standard keratinocyte medium still in widespread use, eliminating the need for feeder layers, conditioned medium, serum, and specialized surfaces.
Fully Customizable
Standard 1X concentration, 1081.00 mg/L glucose, and 28mM HEPES can be adjusted, along with chemical additions, proteins, supplements, and pH, on request.
Regulatory-Aligned Foundation
Formulated to support FDA-recognized physiological modeling standards for drug discovery, toxicology screening, and translational research.
Quadruple-Stage Filtration
Every FluxMPS™ formulation, including MCDB 153 Medium, passes through a four-stage filtration architecture before reaching your platform.
-
1
0.1µmPre-filtration Stage One
Removes larger particulates and aggregates from the formulated medium.
-
2
0.1µmPre-filtration Stage Two
A second 0.1 micron pass further reduces particulate and aggregate load ahead of sterile filtration.
-
3
0.04µmSterile Filtration Stage One
Fine sterile filtration engineered for microfluidic channel compatibility.
-
4
0.04µmSterile Filtration Stage Two
A second 0.04 micron pass for the optical clarity and particulate control that OoC/ToC/LoC platforms require.
Filtration Performance
Validated Cell Lines & Applications
Normal Human Epidermal Keratinocytes
The primary application, from adult and neonatal skin, achieving colony-forming efficiency of approximately 30% at optimal calcium.
Clonal Growth of Chicken Embryo Fibroblasts
An established application of MCDB 153 alongside its keratinocyte use.
CHO Cells
Clonal growth with low serum and trace elements.
Rat Keratinocytes
Best available basal medium with species-specific supplements.
3D Organotypic Skin Equivalents
Used for reconstructed skin models; DMEM:F-12 produces more complete stratification in some stratified models.
Squamous Epithelial Cells & Broader MCDB Lineage
Supports squamous epithelial cells generally, and is the recognized parent of the modern keratinocyte serum-free medium (KSFM) family.
Scientific Applications
Selective Culture From Mixed Populations
MCDB 153 is strikingly selective for keratinocytes over fibroblasts from mixed foreskin inocula, a selectivity driven primarily by calcium and adenine differences.
Calcium-Switch Differentiation Assays
MCDB 153's ultra-low calcium makes it the standard medium for calcium-switch experiments: cells at 0.03-0.3 mM Ca2+ remain proliferative; raising calcium to 1.0 mM or above induces stratification, cornified envelope formation, and late differentiation markers within 24-72 hours.
Keratinocyte Toxicology & Reconstructed Skin
MCDB 153 and its commercial descendants (KSFM, EpiLife) are standard for reconstructed human epidermis models in alternative toxicology testing under regulatory frameworks (EU Cosmetics Regulation, OECD guidelines).
Custom Formulation Studies
Standard glucose, HEPES, concentration, and supplement levels can be customized, with additions of chemicals, compounds, proteins, or a different pH available on request.
Frequently Asked Questions
Verified References
- McKeehan, W.L., McKeehan, K.A., Hammond, S.L. & Ham, R.G. (1977). Improved medium for clonal growth of human diploid fibroblasts at low concentrations of serum protein. In Vitro, 13(7): 399-416. PMID 301851. DOI 10.1007/BF02615100.
- McKeehan, W.L., Hamilton, W.G. & Ham, R.G. (1976). Selenium is an essential trace nutrient for the growth of WI-38 diploid human fibroblasts. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 73(6): 2023-2027. DOI 10.1073/pnas.73.6.2023.
- Hamilton, W.G. & Ham, R.G. (1977). Clonal growth of Chinese hamster cell lines in protein-free media. In Vitro, 13(9): 537-547.
- McKeehan, W.L. & Ham, R.G. (1977). [MCDB 201 reference] Dev. Biol. Stand., 37: 97-98.
- Ham, R.G. & McKeehan, W.L. (1979). Media and growth requirements. Methods in Enzymology, 58: 44-93.
- Peehl, D.M. & Ham, R.G. (1980). Clonal growth of human keratinocytes with small amounts of dialyzed serum. In Vitro, 16(6): 526-540. PMID 6156122. DOI 10.1007/BF02626466.
- Bettger, W.J., Boyce, S.T., Walthall, B.J. & Ham, R.G. (1981). Rapid clonal growth and serial passage of human diploid fibroblasts in a lipid-enriched synthetic medium supplemented with EGF, insulin, and dexamethasone. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 78(9): 5588-5592. PMID 7029539. DOI 10.1073/pnas.78.9.5588.
- Tsao, M.C., Walthall, B.J. & Ham, R.G. (1982). Clonal growth of normal human epidermal keratinocytes in a defined medium. J. Cell Physiol., 110(2): 219-229. PMID 7040427. DOI 10.1002/jcp.1041100217.
- Boyce, S.T. & Ham, R.G. (1983). Calcium-regulated differentiation of normal human epidermal keratinocytes in chemically defined clonal culture and serum-free serial culture. J. Invest. Dermatol., 81(1 Suppl): 33s-40s. PMID 6345690. DOI 10.1111/1523-1747.ep12540422.
- Knedler, A. & Ham, R.G. (1987). Optimized medium for clonal growth of human microvascular endothelial cells with minimal serum. In Vitro Cell. Dev. Biol., 23(7): 481-491. PMID 3301790. DOI 10.1007/BF02628418.
- Ham, R.G. et al. (1988). Improved media for normal human muscle satellite cells. In Vitro Cell. Dev. Biol., 24(8): 833-844. PMID 3045074. (MCDB 120.)
- McKeehan, W.L. & Ham, R.G. (1976). Stimulation of clonal growth of normal fibroblasts with substrata coated with basic polymers. J. Cell Biol., 71: 727-734.
FluxMPS™ — Precision Cell Culture Media for Microphysiological Systems
Built for the architecture of the future. Not the flask of the past.
Traditional cell culture media were formulated for static well plates and flasks — environments that tolerate impurities, precipitates, and particle loads that would immediately compromise a microfluidic system. FluxMPS™ was designed from the ground up for Organ-on-Chip (OoC), Tissue-on-Chip (ToC), and Lab-on-Chip (LoC) platforms, where the medium itself is part of the instrument.
Purity That Protects Your Platform
FluxMPS™ is purified to 0.04 microns — finer than any ready-to-use cell culture media currently available. At this level, the microscopic particulates and protein aggregates that silently block micro-channels, disrupt laminar flow, and generate false biological signals are eliminated before the media ever reaches your chip.
The result: your platform stays operational, your data stays clean, and your biology drives the result — not your media.
Engineered for Flow, Not Just Growth
The name FluxMPS™ reflects its core design principle. Every component is optimized for consistent, laminar flow performance across:
- Complex micro-channel geometries
- Capillary-bed and vascular simulations
- Long-term automated perfusion studies running continuously for weeks
Zero-clogging performance is not a feature — it is the baseline specification.
Applications & Performance
| Application | What FluxMPS™ Delivers |
|---|---|
| Microfluidics | Stable shear stress; no channel blockage |
| Metabolic Tracing | Ultra-pure matrix with no contaminant interference |
| Long-term Perfusion | Consistent formulation stability over weeks of continuous flow |
| Organ-on-Chip | Optical clarity for real-time imaging and integrated biosensing |
Regulatory Foundation
FluxMPS™ is formulated to support FDA-recognized physiological modeling standards, providing a validated, reproducible media foundation for drug discovery, toxicology screening, and translational research. When your downstream data needs to stand up to regulatory scrutiny, your upstream media cannot be an afterthought.
The Bottom Line
Microfluidic platforms are precision instruments. They require precision inputs.
FluxMPS™ is the only ready-to-use cell culture medium engineered specifically to meet that standard — protecting your chip, your cells, and your science.