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Insect Cell Culture
Insect cell culture is a common choice for heterologous protein expression. For large-scale production or basic research, insect cells are able to express large quantities of protein with complex post-translational modifications.
Gibco insect media has been formulated for maximum growth and protein yields. This media, in combination with Gibco pre-adapted cell lines, will provide a convenient system to save you time and effort.
Which insect media is right for you?
| Serum-free High Five cell growth & protein expression | Serum-free growth & protein expression | AOF growth & protein expression | Highest consistency & protein expression | |
| Express Five SFM | Sf-900 II SFM | Sf-900 III Learn more | ExpiSf CD Learn more | |
| Chemically defined | ✓ | |||
| Serum Free | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Protein Free | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Source origin | Serum-free | Serum-free | Animal origin-free | Animal origin-free |
| Lot-to-lot consistency | Medium (medium hydrolysate concentration) | Medium (medium hydrolysate concentration) | High (low hydrolysate concentration) | High (no hydrolysate present) |
| Optimized to prevent foaming | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Compatible insect cells | High five (BTI-TN-5B1-4) cells | Sf9 & Sf21 cells | Sf9 & Sf21 cells | ExpiSf9, Sf9 & Sf21 cells |
| Supported cell density (Sf9 cells/mL) | 6x106 cells/mL | 10x106 cells/mL | 10–14x106 cells/mL | 20x106 cells/mL |
| Packaging | 1000 mL | 500 mL, 1000 mL, 5 L (bags), 10 L (bags), 20 L (bags) | 500 mL, 1000 mL, 10 L (bags), 20 L (bags) | 500 mL, 1000 mL, 10 L (bags), 20 L (bags) |
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Drosophila S2 Cell Culture
Drosophila S2 cells are used for heterologous protein expression in the Drosophila Expression System (DES). The S2 cell line was derived from a primary culture of late-stage Drosophila melanogaster embryos (Schneider, 1972). This adaptable cell line grows without CO2, at room temperature, as a semi-adherent monolayer or suspension in Schneider's Drosophila Medium.
Basic insect cell culture with Grace’s Medium
Grace's Insect Medium is a classic medium for insect cell culture. It was originally designed for the growth of cells from the Australian Emperor Gum Moth, Antheraea eucalypti. Supplemented Grace’s Insect Medium is used for the growth of Spodoptera frugiperda cells, Sf9 and Sf21. Sf9 and Sf21 cells are routinely used to express recombinant protein using the Baculovirus Expression Vector System (BEVS). We also offer Gibco Unsupplemented Grace’s formulations that can be used during transfection of insect cells, or for protein labeling studies (with methionine).
Learn more about Grace’s Insect Medium
Try the Gibco MediaSelect Tool
Easily find a media solution suited to your specific application. Use this interactive tool to select classical basal, protein expression, or viral vector media.
Your selections will allow you to choose from a catalog menu of media – or customize your own formulation to fit your experimental setup and budget. Where available, you can compare media formulations side-by-side.
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