Bottle containing RPMI 1640 media

Culture your cells with Gibco RPMI 1640 medium

Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI) 1640 Medium is unique from other media because it contains the reducing agent glutathione and high concentrations of vitamins, including certain vitamins not found in Eagle's Minimal Essential Medium or Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium.

Gibco RPMI 1640 Medium has been found suitable for a variety of mammalian cells, including HeLa, Jurkat, MCF-7, PC12, PBMC, astrocytes, and carcinomas.

Media bottle icon

RPMI composition

RPMI 1640 Medium contains the reducing agent glutathione as well as biotin, vitamin B12, and PABA, which are vitamins not found in Eagle’s Minimal Essential Medium or Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium. In addition, RPMI 1640 media includes high concentrations of the vitamins inositol and choline. Because RPMI 1640 contains no proteins, lipids, or growth factors, it is commonly supplemented with fetal bovine serum (FBS). The sodium bicarbonate buffer system used in RPMI 1640 allows for maintenance of physiological pH in a 5–10% CO2 environment.

Thermo Fisher Scientific offers a variety of modifications to RPMI composition for a range of cell culture applications—view an example of a detailed RPMI formulation here. Learn about additional RPMI formulation options using our Cell Culture Media Formulation Tool.

Check mark icon

Choose the right RPMI 1640

There are several factors to consider when selecting the right Gibco RPMI composition for your cell culture experiments, including format, supplementation, and additives. Our interactive media formulation tool provides side-by-side comparisons of RPMI 1640 formulations, allowing for easy selection of the RPMI 1640 you need. Select the following modifications:

  • L-glutamine / GlutaMAX supplementation
  • Phenol red indicator
  • Liquid vs powder formats
  • Serum supplementation
  • Sodium pyruvate additive
  • Glucose additive
  • HEPES additive
Lightbulb icon

Innovative RPMI 1640 formulations

Take your cell culture to the next level with enhanced RPMI 1640 formulations. Explore the following formulations that can help improve your cell viability, serum supplementation, and cold storage constraints.

Bottle of Advanced RPMI

Advanced RPMI 1640 Medium

Gibco Advanced RPMI 1640 Medium is formulated with ingredients that reduce the need for serum supplementation by 50–90%, lowering your costs and increasing consistency in your cell culture with fewer lot-to-lot serum changes.

BenchStable RPMI product photo

BenchStable RPMI 1640

Gibco BenchStable RPMI 1640 Medium is engineered for storage at room temperature, saving your cold storage space while supporting cell proliferation and densities comparable to standard RPMI 1640 formulations. 

Bottle of RPMI with GlutaMAX Supplement

RPMI 1640 Medium with GlutaMAX supplement

Gibco RPMI 1640 with GlutaMAX supplement contains a stable form of L-glutamine that does not spontaneously degrade in culture, preventing ammonia build up and improving cell health and viability.

Cell icon

Customize your RPMI 1640 

If you require a custom RPMI 1640 formulation for your cell culture experiments, our media customization services can provide you with the media you need, including custom components, packaging, and QC testing.

Explore services for RPMI 1640 customization

cell culture media icon GMP manufacturing

Gibco cell culture products are manufactured in facilities compliant with current good manufacturing practices (GMP) and adhere to a robust quality management system, helping to ensure the consistency, reliability, and high quality you can rely on.

Learn more about GMP manufacturing

leaf icon Sustainable solutions

We are committed to delivering products that serve the research needs of our customers, while striving to develop them in a way that minimizes our use of natural resources and our impact on the environment.
 

Learn more about sustainable solutions

Resources

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

Gibco Cell Culture Basics
Learn the fundamentals of cell culture for achieving consistent results, including laboratory setup, safety, and aseptic techniques.

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.