Technical library

Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are able to attach without fibronectin coating when cultured in MSC Adipogenic Differentiation Medium 2.
However, under these conditions the risk of cell detachment during adipogenic differentiation is significantly higher.

Recommendation
To ensure stable cell attachment throughout the differentiation process, we strongly recommend using fibronectin‑ or vitronectin‑coated tissue culture vessels.

PromoCell growth media are developed and optimized for the in vitro-culture of human primary cells. However, many of our media have also been successfully used for:

• Primary cells from other species
• Different primary cell types
• Immortalized cell lines

For many products, publication lists are available that document successful use with additional species, cell types, and cell lines. These publications can be accessed via the respective product page under the "Product Description" tab.

Please note: Culture performance may vary depending on the cell type and application. We therefore recommend reviewing the available publications and adapting the culture conditions as needed for your specific cell type and experimental setup.
Our Scientific Support team will be happy to assist you in identifying relevant publications and evaluating their relevance for your particular cell type and application.

In many cases, the addition of 0.5-2% FBS to MSC Growth Medium XF may provide sufficient cell attachment to make fibronectin coating unnecessary.
However, the optimal conditions may vary depending on the cell type, donor, and application. We therefore recommend validating cell attachment and growth under your specific culture conditions.
 
Please note: A key advantage of MSC Growth Medium XF is that it is serum-free and xeno-free. Adding FBS removes these benefits and should therefore only be considered if serum-free culture conditions are not required for the intended application.

While we cannot disclose the full formulation details, we can confirm that the media in our Cancer Media Toolbox contain standard cell culture components, such as salts, amino acids, vitamins, and growth supplements. They do not contain synthetic inhibitors, including ROCK inhibitors, protease inhibitors, or other pathway-specific inhibitors.
The Primary Cancer Culture System (PCCS), including the NCCD coating reagent, promotes the selective expansion of cancer stem cells (CSCs) by providing a growth advantage rather than by actively suppressing or eliminating other cell populations. Consequently, non-CSCs may become depleted over time as CSCs are preferentially supported, but this is not caused by active inhibition of specific cell types, proteins, or signaling pathways.
Please note: In Cancer Cell Line Medium XF (CCLM XF) and 3D Tumorsphere Medium XF, the only undefined component is human serum albumin (HSA) derived from human plasma.

No. C‑41000 remains a ready-to-use Trypsin/EDTA solution and should be used as before.
The change from reporting trypsin concentration in % to reporting enzyme activity in BAEE units reflects a more precise way of characterizing trypsin performance and does not require any changes to standard cell culture protocols.
BAEE (Nα‑benzoyl‑L‑arginine ethyl ester) is a synthetic substrate that is commonly used to determine trypsin activity. The BAEE value indicates how efficiently the enzyme cleaves this substrate under defined conditions.
Unlike enzyme concentration, which does not always reflect actual performance, enzyme activity directly measures the functional effectiveness of trypsin. Reporting activity in BAEE units therefore helps ensure consistent and reproducible cell detachment performance and improves batch‑to‑batch comparability.
 
Please note: The concentration of EDTA has not changed and continues to be specified as a percentage (0.03% w/v).

PromoCell Human Bronchial Smooth Muscle Cells (HBSMC) are isolated from the smooth muscle layer of the bronchi, whereas Human Tracheal Smooth Muscle Cells (HTSMC) are isolated from the trachealis muscle, the smooth muscle layer of the trachea.

Monocytes do not proliferate significantly in culture.
When cryopreserved monocytes (C‑12909) are thawed and cultured in Mononuclear Cell Medium (C‑28030), the cells largely remain in suspension.
In contrast, freshly isolated PBMC or monocytes rapidly attach when cultured in Monocyte Attachment Medium (C‑28051), typically within 1–1.5 hours. This enables efficient enrichment of the monocyte fraction through adherence.

Please note: In our experience, cryopreserved/thawed monocytes do not attach efficiently in Monocyte Attachment Medium and are therefore not suitable for adherence-based monocyte enrichment.

Most conventional freezing media contain 10% DMSO and 20–90% fetal bovine serum (FBS).
In contrast, PromoCell Cryo‑SFM Plus is:

• Serum-free
• Animal component-free
• Protein-free
• Chemically defined
• Formulated with <10% DMSO
• Supplemented with methylcellulose and other cryoprotective components instead of FBS

Because many PromoCell culture media are low-serum or serum-free, Cryo‑SFM Plus enables cells to be cryopreserved under serum-free conditions, helping to maintain consistency throughout the cell culture workflow.
 
Please note: Cryo‑SFM Plus has been specifically developed to support high post-thaw cell viability, attachment, and growth without the use of serum.

PromoCell Endothelial Cell Growth Media have been developed to support the optimal growth of primary endothelial cells on standard tissue culture-treated (TC-treated) plasticware. Therefore, pre-coating of culture vessels is generally not required.
If pre-coated culture vessels are preferred, suitable coating materials include:

• Collagen type I
• Gelatin
• Fibronectin

Please note: The choice of coating material can influence cell attachment, morphology, and gene expression. To ensure comparable results, the same coating material and culture conditions should be used consistently throughout a study.

Atherosclerosis primarily affects arteries and is characterized by the formation of lipid-rich plaques within the vessel wall. For atherosclerosis research, PromoCell offers several arterial endothelial cell types, including:

• Human Coronary Artery Endothelial Cells (HCAEC) for studies focused on coronary artery disease
• Human Aortic Endothelial Cells (HAoEC) for investigations of large-vessel atherosclerosis

Please note: The choice of endothelial cell type should reflect the vascular region and disease model of interest, as endothelial cells from different vascular beds may exhibit distinct biological responses.
 
In addition to endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) play a critical role in atherosclerosis development and progression. Increasing evidence suggests that phenotypic switching of SMCs into alternative cell states is a key driver of plaque formation, progression, and complications. Depending on the study objectives, the use of arterial SMCs (HAoSMC, HCASMC) alone or in co-culture with endothelial cells may therefore provide a more comprehensive model of atherogenesis.
Our Scientific Support team will be happy to assist you in selecting the most suitable cell types for your specific atherosclerosis model.