Find recommended media types for your specific cell line by exploring the lists below, each of which was carefully reviewed and compiled by our internal research and development (R&D) team. Cell growth, morphology, and functional performance was confirmed in the mentioned media. For any cell lines not validated internally, information was gathered from ATCC and literature searches to verify the use of specific media types for these cell lines. Explore each table and find the culture method and media type most relevant to your cell line of interest.


Recommended media for adherent cell lines

Cell lineCell typeSpeciesTissueMedium
293fibroblasthumanembryonic kidneyMEM and 10% FBS
3T6fibroblastmouseembryoDMEM and 10% FBS
A549epithelialhumanlung carcinomaHam’s F-12K and 10% FBS
A9fibroblastmouseconnective tissueDMEM and 10% FBS
BALB/3T3fibroblastmouseembryoDMEM and 10% FBS
BHK-21fibroblasthamsterkidneyGMEM and 10% FBS or MEM and 10% FBS + NEAA
BHL-100epithelialhumanbreastDMEM and 10% FBS
BTfibroblastbovineturbinate cellsMEM and 10% FBS + NEAA
Caco-2epithelialhumancolon adeno carcinomaMEM and 20% FBS + NEAA
ChangepithelialhumanliverBME and 10% calf serum
CHO-K1epithelialhamsterovaryHam’s F-12K and 10% FBS
Clone 9epithelialratliverHam’s F-12K and 10% FBS
Clone M-3epithelialmousemelanomaHam’s F-10 nutrient mix, 15% horse serum and 2.5% FBS
COS-1, COS-3, COS-7fibroblastmonkeykidneyDMEM and 10% FBS
CRFKepithelialcatkidneyMEM and 10% FBS + NEAA
CV-1fibroblastmonkeykidneyMEM and 10% FBS
D-17epithelialdogosteosarcomaMEM and 10% FBS + NEAA
GH1, GH3epithelialratpituitary tumorHam’s F-10 nutrient mix, 15% horse serum and 2.5% FBS
HCT-15epithelialhumancolorectal adenocarcinomaRPMI 1640 and 10% FBS
HeLaepithelialhumancervix carcinomaMEM and 10% FBS + NEAA (in suspension, S-MEM)
HT-1080epithelialhumanfibrosarcomaMEM and 10% heat-inactivated FBS + NEAA
HT-29epithelialhumancolon adenocarcinomaMcCoy's 5A and 10% FBS
HUVECendothelialhumanumbilical cordHam’s F-12K with 10% FBS and 100 µg/mL heparin
I-10epithelialmousetesticular tumorHam’s F-10 nutrient mix, 15% horse serum and 2.5% FBS
JEG-3epithelialhumanchoriocarcinomaMEM and 10% FBS
JensenfibroblastratsarcomaMcCoy's 5A and 5% FBS
L2epithelialratlungHam’s F-12K and 10% FBS
LLC-WRC 256epithelialratcarcinomaMedium 199 and 5% horse serum
McCoyfibroblastmouseunknownMEM and 10% FBS
MCF7epithelialhumanbreast adenocarcinomaMEM and 10% FBS + NEAA and 10 µg/mL insulin
WI-38epithelialhumanembryonic lungBME and 10% FBS
WISHepithelialhumanamnionBME and 10% FBS
XCepithelialratsarcomaMEM and 10% FBS + NEAA
Y-1epithelialmousetumor of adrenalHam’s F-10 nutrient mix, 15% horse serum and 2.5% FBS
HCT116epithelialhumancolonMcCoy’s with 10% FBS
PANC1epithelialhumanpancreas/ ductDMEM with 10% FBS
NIH3T3fibroblastmouseembryoDMEM with 10% bovine calf serum
A431epithelialhumanskin / epidermisDMEM with 10% FBS
3T3L1fibroblastmouseembryoDMEM with 10% bovine calf serum
U2OSepithelialhumanboneMcCoys with 10% FBS
MDAMB231epithelialhumanmammary glandLeibovitz's L-15 medium with 10% FBS
NTERA2epithelialhumantestisDMEM with 15% FBS
RAW 264.7monocyte / macrophagemouseascitesDMEM with 10% FBS
T47Depithelialhumanmammary glandRPMI 1640 with 10% FBS and 0.2 units/mL bovineinsulin (or human insulin)
PC3epithelialhumanprostrateF-12K with 10% FBS
C2C12myoblastmousemuscleDMEM with 10% FBS
NCCITepithelialhumanmediastinumRPMI 1640 with 10% FBS
SKNASepithelialhumanbrainDMEM with 10% FBS + 0.1 nM NEAA
L6myoblastratskeletal muscleDMEM with 10% FBS
GTL16epithelialhumanliverRPMI 1640 with 10% FBS
B16F10spindle shaped and epithelialmouseskinDMEM with 10% FBS
C8D1Aneuronalmousebrain, astrocyteDMEM with 10% FBS
HAECendothelialhumanaortaM200 with LSGS kit
F9epithelialmousetestisDMEM with 10% FBS
HSkMsmyoblasthumanskeletal myoblastDMEM with 2% horse serum
SKOV3epithelialhumanovaryMcCoy’s with 10% FBS
LNCAPepithelialhumanprostateRPMI 1640 with 10% FBS
A375epithelialhumanskinDMEM with 10% FBS
H1975epithelialhumanlungRPMI 1640 with 10% FBS
SW480epithelialhumancolonLeibovitz's L-15 with 10% FBS
SKBR3epithelial cellshumanmammary glandMcCoy’s with 10% FBS
RDspindle cells and large multinucleated cellshumanmuscleDMEM with 10% FBS
SCC15squamous cell carcinomahumantongue1:1 mixture of DMEM and Ham's F-12 medium containing1.2 g/L sodium bicarbonate, 2.5 mM L-glutamine, 15 mM HEPES and 0.5 mM sodiumpyruvate supplemented with 400 ng/mL hydrocortisone (90%); 10% FBS
HMEC-1endothelial likehumanskinMCDB 131 medium (without L-glutamine; Cat. No.10372019) with 10 ng/mL epidermal growth factor + 1 µg/mL hydrocortisone + 10 mM glutamine + 10% FBS
CAKI-1epithelialhumankidneyMcCoy's with 10% FBS
RSC96neuronalratneuronal Schwann cellDMEM with 10% FBS
OVCAR3epithelialhumanovaryRPMI 1640 + insulin (0.01 mg/mL) and 20% FBS
NMUMGepithelialmousemammary glandDMEM with 4.5 g/L glucose and 10 µg/mL insulin (90%);FBS 10%
AML12epithelialmouseliverDMEM/F-12 medium + 10 µg/mL insulin + 5.5 µg/mLtransferrin + 5 ng/mL selenium + 40 ng/mL dexamethasone with 10% FBS
SKMEL-31epithelialhumanskinMEM with 2 mM L-glutamine and Earle's BSS adjusted tocontain 1.5 g/L sodium bicarbonate, 0.1 mM non-essential amino acids, and 1.0 mM sodium pyruvate, 85%; FBS, 15%
MEF-IMfibroblastmouseembryonic fibroblastDMEM with 15% FBS
BEWOepithelialhumanplacentaF-12K media with 10% FBS
769PepithelialhumankidneyRPMI 1640 with 10% FBS
MCF10Aepithelialhumanmammary glandMEBM with MEGM + 100 ng/mL cholera toxin
LOVOepithelialhumancolonF-12K with 10% FBS
H1299epithelialhumanlungRPMI 1640 with 10% FBS
A673polygonalhumanmuscleDMEM with 10% FBS
BT-549epithelialhumanmammary glandRPMI 1640 with 10% FBS, 0.023 U/mL insulin
H4epithelialhumanneurogliomaDMEM with 10% FBS
HACAT (Addexbio)keratinocytehumanskinDMEM with 10% FBS
Htert-RPE1epithelialhumaneyeDMEM/F-12 medium with 10 % FBS and 0.01 mg/mL hygromycin B
RT4epithelialhumanurinary bladderMcCoy's 5A with 10% FBS
U118MGmixedhumanbrainDMEM with 10% FBS
SW620epithelialhumancolonLeibovitz's L-15 with 10% FBS
786-OepithelialhumankidneyRPMI 1640 with 10% FBS
MJlymphoblasthumanbloodIMDM with 20% FBS


Recommended media for semi-adherent cell lines

Cell lineCell typeSpeciesTissueMedium
Colo205epithelialhumancolonRPMI 1640 with 10% FBS
MIAPACA2epithelialhumanpancreasDMEM with 10% FBS + 2.5% horse serum
KATO-IIIsphericalhumanstomachIMDM with 20% FBS


Recommended media for suspension cell lines

Cell lineCell typeSpeciesTissueMedium
AtT-20epithelialmousepituitary tumorF-10, 15% horse serum and 2.5% FBS
Daudilymphoblasthumanblood from a lymphoma patientRPMI 1640 and 10% FBS
H9lymphoblasthumanT cell lymphomaRPMI 1640 and 20% FBS
HL-60lymphoblasthumanpromyelocytic leukemiaRPMI 1640 and 20% FBS
IM-9lymphoblasthumanmarrow from myeloma patientRPMI 1640 and 10% FBS
JurkatlymphoblasthumanlymphomaRPMI 1640 and 10% FBS
K-562lymphoblasthumanmyelogenous leukemiaIMDM and 10% FBS
KG-1myeloblasthumanmarrow from erythroleukemia patientIMDM and 20% FBS
AML193lymphoblasthumanperipheral bloodIMDM + 0.005 mg/mL insulin + 0.005 mg/mL transferrin + 5 ng/mL GM-CSF (95%) with 5% FBS
U937monocytehumanpleural effusionRPMI 1640 with 10% FBS
THP1monocytehumanperipheral bloodRPMI 1640 with 10% FBS and 2-mercaptoethanol 0.05 mM
PC12small irregular shaped cells, floating clusters; fewscattered lightly attached cellsratadrenal glandRPMI 1640 with 10% heat-inactivated horse serum and 5% FBS
RAJIlymphoblasthumanB lymphocyteRPMI 1640 with 10% FBS
NK92lymphoblasthumanperipheral blood, natural killerAlpha MEM (no nucleosides) + 0.2 mM Inositol + 0.1mM 2-mercaptoethanol + 0.02 mM Folic acid + 200 Units/mL IL2 + 12.5% Horse Serum + 12.5 % FBS
P388D1lymphoblastmousemonocyte, macrophageDMEM with 10% horse serum
RAMOSlymphoblasthumanB lymphocyteRPMI 1640 with 10% FBS
EB2lymphoblasthumanlymph nodeRPMI 1640 with 10% FBS
SNU5epithelialhumanstomachIMDM with 20% FBS
MOLT4lymphoblasthumanT lymphoblastRPMI 1640 with 10% FBS
JEKO1lymphoblasthumanperipheral bloodRPMI 1640 with 20% FBS
KARPAS 299lymphoblastoidhumanlymphomaRPMI 1640 + 2 mM glutamine + 20% FBS
HEL 92.1.7erythroblasthumanbone marrowRPMI 1640 with 10% FBS
8A3B.6lymphocytemouseB lymphocyteDMEM with 4.5 g/L glucose, 2 mM L-glutamine and 1 mMsodium pyruvate, 90%; 10% FBS
REHlymphocytehumanlymphoblastRPMI 1640 with 10% FBS
EL4lymphoblastmouse
T lymphocyte		DMEM with 10% horse serum
M1myeloblastmousemyeloid leukemiaRPMI 1640 with 10% FBS
JM1lymphoblasthumanbloodIMDM with 0.05 mM 2-mercaptoethanol 10% FBS
MV411lymphocytehumanperipheral bloodIMDM with 10% FBS
ARH77B lymphoblasthumanperipheral bloodRPMI 1640 with 10% FBS
KASUMI -1myeloblastshumanperipheral bloodRPMI 1640 with 10% FBS
TF1lymphoblasthumanbone marrowRPMI 1640 + 2 ng/mL recombinant human GM-CSF + 10%FBS
Expi293fibroblasthumanembryoExpi293 Expression Medium
ExpiCHOepithelialhamsterovaryExpiCHO Expression Medium

Back to the Gibco Basics Cell Culture homepage


Relevant product categories

Resources

Cell Culture & Transfection Learning Center
Access cell culture and transfection educational resources for better experiment planning and execution.

Media Formulation Tool
Find the right Gibco media formulation for DMEM, DMEM/F-12, MEM, and RPMI-1640 media.

Related products

Support

Cell Culture & Transfection Support Center
Find technical support recommendations for your cell culture and transfection workflows, including tips for experimental setup and in-depth troubleshooting help.

Need technical support? Contact our expert team for technical and application support of Laboratory Products

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.