Advantages of AlphaGrow™ SF Hybridoma Over Classical Media Plus FBS
- Better lot to lot consistency
- Lower cost
- Increased antibody production
- No animal derived components
- Consistent downstream purification results
- Negative for mycoplasma and adventitious agents
- No ethical concerns surrounding the collection of fetal bovine serum
Inconveniences of serum include the need to screen lots, variability in cost and quality, and the presence of contaminating bovine IgG. Animal-derived ingredients also carry the risk of introducing adventitious agents, such as viruses and prions that can contaminate cell culture facilities. Finally, objections have been raised to the use of serum in cell culture on regulatory and ethical grounds, and the undefined nature of FBS is increasingly being seen as a liability to researchers who need increased control over the growth of their cells. Most hybridoma cell lines can be weaned into AlphaGrow™ SF within a couple of weeks if our EasyWean™ protocol is followed.
