Thermo Scientific™ Gibco™ RPMI 1640 Medium

Gibco™ RPMI 1640 Medium is a classic and highly versatile cell culture medium originally developed to culture human leukemic cells in both suspension and monolayer forms. Since its development by the Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI), it has become a standard medium used for culturing a wide variety of mammalian cells. These cells include not only human leukemic cells but also other commonly used cell lines such as HeLa, Jurkat, MCF-7, PC12, and astrocytes. Due to its broad application, RPMI 1640 Medium is widely employed in research, biotechnology, and clinical labs, providing a reliable environment for maintaining and growing mammalian cell cultures.

Formulation & Additives: Gibco™ RPMI 1640 Medium is available in various modifications depending on the requirements of specific experiments or applications. The standard formulation includes the following components:

• L-glutamine: This amino acid is essential for the biosynthesis of proteins, nucleotides, and other metabolic intermediates, ensuring optimal cell growth and metabolism.
• Phenol Red: Acts as a pH indicator, providing a visual cue of the pH level in the medium. A color shift from red to yellow indicates a change in pH (acidic condition), while a pink/red color suggests a neutral pH.

This medium does not contain HEPES or sodium pyruvate, making it suitable for use in systems where these additional components may not be required or desired. RPMI 1640 Medium's formulation is designed to support the needs of cells that require specific growth factors and conditions.

Unique Characteristics:

1. Rich Vitamin Profile: RPMI 1640 Medium stands out from other cell culture media by containing several essential vitamins that are crucial for cell metabolism. Some of these include:

• Biotin – A critical coenzyme for several carboxylation reactions involved in cellular metabolism.
• Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) – Vital for DNA synthesis and the regulation of cell division.
• PABA (Para-aminobenzoic acid) – Important for folate synthesis in cells.

In addition to these, it contains Inositol and Choline at higher concentrations compared to other culture media, promoting better cell growth and function.

2. Absence of Proteins and Growth Factors: RPMI 1640 Medium is protein-free, meaning it does not contain any proteins or lipids. This characteristic makes it suitable for cells that do not require complex protein mixtures to thrive. However, this also means that the medium needs to be supplemented with Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) or other protein sources to support optimal cell growth. Typically, a supplementation of 10% FBS is added to the RPMI 1640 medium for this purpose.

3. High Vitamin Concentrations: In addition to being vitamin-rich, the RPMI 1640 formulation also includes high levels of essential components like choline and inositol, which are crucial for lipid and cell membrane synthesis, ensuring that cells are provided with all necessary components for robust growth.

Cell Types & Applications:

Cell Lines:

RPMI 1640 Medium has been specifically optimized for culturing a broad range of mammalian cells. Commonly cultured cell lines using this medium include:

• HeLa cells: Human cervical carcinoma cell line, widely used in cancer research.
• Jurkat cells: Human leukemia T cell line, commonly used in immunology research.
• MCF-7 cells: Human breast cancer cell line, used in breast cancer research and drug testing.
• PC12 cells: Rat adrenal pheochromocytoma cells, commonly used in neurological research.
• PBMCs (Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells): Often used for immunological studies.
• Astrocytes and Carcinomas: Supporting cell lines for cancer research and neuronal studies.

Cell Culture:

RPMI 1640 is suitable for both suspension culture and monolayer culture. It supports adherent cells (like HeLa and MCF-7) as well as non-adherent cells (like Jurkat cells). This makes it an extremely versatile medium in cell culture, from basic research to clinical applications.

Growth Conditions:

RPMI 1640 uses a sodium bicarbonate buffer system at a concentration of 2.0 g/L, which helps maintain the physiological pH of the culture. However, it requires a 5-10% CO2 environment to stabilize the pH level and maintain ideal growth conditions for cells.

Sterility:

The RPMI 1640 Medium is sterile-filtered, ensuring that it is free from microbial contamination and suitable for use in sterile culture environments. This guarantees the reliability and reproducibility of experiments involving sensitive cells or cultures.

Shelf Life and Storage:

The medium has a shelf life of 12 months from the date of manufacture. It must be stored at 2°C to 8°C and protected from light to maintain its integrity. When shipping, RPMI 1640 can be stored at ambient temperature, ensuring that it is stable during transport.

Not for Diagnostic Use:

This medium is intended solely for research use or further manufacturing and is not for diagnostic use or direct administration into humans or animals.

Ordering Information:

Note: Each size is available in liquid form, and should be stored under appropriate conditions to ensure the quality and longevity of the product.

Gibco™ RPMI 1640 Medium is an essential medium for cell culture applications, offering a rich mix of nutrients, vitamins, and glutamine to support the growth and maintenance of a variety of cell lines. With its flexibility and ability to support both suspension and monolayer cultures, RPMI 1640 remains a staple in biological research, including cancer studies, immunology, and biotechnology applications.