Bovine serum is an essential component used for culturing and growth of mammalian cells in vitro. It is derived from blood collected from cattle during slaughter and contains a rich variety of growth factors, proteins, and attachment factors essential for cell growth and proliferation. This article looks at the composition and role of bovine serum in cell culture as well as some of its applications.
Composition of Bovine Serum Albumin
Bovine Serum Albumin contains a variety of constituents that promote cell growth, survival and maintenance. Some of the key components include:
- Growth factors: These are polypeptide molecules that stimulate cell growth, proliferation and metabolism. Some important growth factors in bovine serum include fibroblast growth factor (FGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs).
- Carrier proteins: Serum albumin is the most abundant protein in bovine serum and acts as a carrier or transport protein for molecules like fatty acids, hormones, bilirubin etc. Other carrier proteins include transferrin which transports iron and ceruloplasmin which transports copper.
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