History of Fetal Bovine Serum FBS use in cell culture

   Ringer's cell culture-medium, developed by Sydney Ringer in 1882, was an early example of in vitro culture of animal tissue. In the following decades, driven by scientific and technological innovation, early animal cell culture and synthetic media have appeared. The 1940s saw the establishment of cell lines, the birth of basic media, and the development of protein-free media.

    Theodore Puck pioneered the use of FBS to promote cell proliferation in the late 1950s. Other studies have shown that in addition to its ability to stimulate cell proliferation, FBS contains many components that are essential for cell growth and viability (e.g., hormones, vitamins, growth factors, etc.)

For decades, fetal bovine serum has been used in laboratories around the world. Its popularity has always depended on its necessity as an additive in cell and tissue culture applications.

The future of fetal bovine serum

    The availability of research-grade fetal bovine serum has significantly raised the pace of biomedical science and, as a supplement to growth media, has unparalleled properties. Although the development of serum-free media has provided benefits for some cell culture applications, FBS remains a more versatile and widely used nutrient source for cells and will continue to be a major supplement to laboratory tissue media for the foreseeable future.