Technical library

Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) and hydrocortisone are known to have a synergistic effect on the proliferation of human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMEC).
When hydrocortisone is removed from the Endothelial Cell Growth Medium MV Kit (C‑22120), this synergistic interaction is lost. As a consequence, cell proliferation is clearly reduced, even though EGF is still present.
 
Conclusion
For optimal growth and proliferation of HDMEC, hydrocortisone should be included as specified in the complete Endothelial Cell Growth Medium MV formulation.

PromoCell Fibroblast Growth Medium (C‑23010) is a very low‑serum medium (containing 0.5% FBS in the basal medium) and is therefore not subject to the pronounced lot‑to‑lot variability commonly observed with DMEM supplemented with 10% FBS.
As a result, using C‑23010 allows for more standardized and reproducible culture conditions when growing juvenile fibroblasts (C‑12300), while still supporting robust cell growth.

No. Skeletal muscle cells should not be split after the differentiation medium has been added.
Once PromoCell Skeletal Muscle Cell Differentiation Medium (C‑23061) is applied, myoblasts initiate differentiation into myotubes and stop proliferating. At this stage, further passaging or splitting is no longer appropriate.
 
Recommended workflow

• Before differentiation: Plate skeletal muscle cells directly into the final culture vessels required for your experiment (e.g. multiwell plates).
• After differentiation induction: Perform experiments directly on differentiated myotubes, without further subculturing.

If detachment of myotubes is required
Differentiated myotubes can be difficult to trypsinize. If detachment is necessary for your application, a rubber policeman can be used to gently remove the cells.

Fibroblast contamination cannot be completely avoided in primary epithelial cell cultures. However, it can be effectively reduced by taking advantage of the different adhesion properties of epithelial cells and fibroblasts.
 
Recommended approach: partial trypsinization

• Epithelial cells attach more firmly to tissue‑culture plastic than fibroblasts.
• This difference allows selective removal of fibroblasts by short trypsinization.

Procedure
1. Add trypsin/EDTA to the culture dish.
2. Incubate for 2-4 minutes.
3. During this time, fibroblasts detach first.
4. Inactivate the enzyme once fibroblasts are detached.
5. Aspirate the cell suspension containing the fibroblasts.
6. Wash the remaining epithelial cells twice with buffer.
7. Continue culturing the epithelial cells in the appropriate Growth Medium.

In most cases, PromoCell Human Cardiac Myocytes (HCM) are isolated from heart tissue obtained during heart transplantation procedures.

Specifically:

• The tissue is taken from the explanted heart (the removed native heart), not from the transplanted donor heart.
• In some cases, heart tissue is also obtained from LVAD (Left Ventricular Assist Device) surgeries, where cardiac tissue becomes available during the implantation procedure.
• All tissue sourcing follows ethical guidelines and applicable regulations.

PromoCell guarantees at least 15 population doublings (PDs) for human cardiac myocytes (HCM, C‑12810) when they are cultured in Myocyte Growth Medium.
Depending on the cell lot and the culture conditions, this typically corresponds to:

• More than 6-8 passages, and
• A culture period of approximately 1-2 months

Please note that the exact number of passages and total culture time may vary based on handling, split ratios, and experimental setup.

The recommended culture or differentiation medium depends on the specific stem or blood cell type. For each product, the appropriate media are specified in the Instruction Manual provided for the cells.
Please always follow these cell‑type‑specific recommendations, as the use of non‑recommended media may affect cell growth, differentiation efficiency, and functionality.

Growth medium requirements vary depending on the cell type. Please consult the corresponding Product Manual and refer to the "Specifications" section for the recommended Growth Medium. Using the recommended medium is important for maintaining optimal cell viability, growth, and functionality.

The standard PromoCell protocol recommends performing trypsinization at room temperature (RT) while monitoring cell detachment under the microscope.
Prolonged trypsinization at 37°C may lead to irreversible cell damage and reduced cell viability.
 
Exceptions
For certain cell types, trypsinization at 37°C may be recommended.
In these cases, the Instruction Manual of the respective cell type specifies the temperature and exact duration of trypsinization.

Yes. RNAlater® Solution denatures proteins. 
As a result, proteins isolated from PromoCell cell pellets stored in RNAlater are suitable for applications, such as

• Western blotting
• 2‑D gel electrophoresis

and  not suitable for applications requiring native (functional) protein conformation, such as enzyme activity assays or protein–protein interaction studies.