Q. Is PRIME-XV MSC Expansion SFM serum-free, animal component-free?

A. PRIME-XV MSC Expansion SFM is serum-free, which does not contain or require the addition of serum. However, it is not ACF.

Q. What makes PRIME-XV MSC Expansion XSFM xeno-free?

A. PRIME-XV MSC Expansion XSFM is xeno-free, as it only contains human components. The definition of xeno-free is that all components in the media are derived from the same species as the cell type.

Q. Do the PRIME-XV MSC Expansion SFM and PRIME-XV MSC Expansion XSFM contain a stable form of L-glutamine?

A. PRIME-XV MSC Expansion SFM and PRIME-XV MSC Expansion XSFM contain a stable form of L-glutamine.

Q. Does PRIME-XV MSC Expansion SFM or PRIME-XV MSC Expansion XSFM contain any antibiotics?

A. There are no antibiotics in PRIME-XV MSC Expansion SFM or PRIME-XV MSC Expansion XSFM.

Q. Can antibiotics be added to PRIME-XV MSC Expansion SFM or PRIME-XV MSC Expansion XSFM if desired?

A. Antibiotics may be added if desired.

Q. How is PRIME-XV MSC Expansion XSFM tested for adventitious agents (especially viruses)?

A. PRIME-XV MSC Expansion XSFM contains some animal-sourced material. The animal-sourced raw materials are tested for adventitious agents by the raw material vendors.

Q. How does FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific obtain MSCs for media testing? What is the source tissue and isolation method?

A. FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific acquires MSCs derived from adipose tissue, bone marrow, or umbilical cord of healthy donors from an approved independent supplier. FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific does not have an established in-house MSC isolation method.

Q. Is it normal to see precipitation in the PRIME-XV MSC Expansion SFM and XSFM?

A. As an enriched media the presence of precipitates may occur over time. The presence of precipitates has not been shown to cause any detrimental effect on product performance. If desired, the media can be aliquoted into sterile tubes and centrifuged for five minutes at 300 g before use.

Q. Can unopened PRIME-XV MSC Expansion SFM or PRIME-XV MSC Expansion XSFM that was accidentally left in the water bath over 2 days still be used?

A. Generally, it is not advisable to use any media that has been stored in a manner that is not consistent with the recommended storage and handling conditions. PRIME-XV MSC Expansion SFM or PRIME-XV MSC Expansion XSFM contains growth factors and other sensitive components. Some components can degrade when kept at higher temperatures for extended time periods. This may impact media performance. It is best to avoid using media that has been left in the water bath for an extended time.

Q. Is an adaptation step needed for shifting to a PRIME-XV MSC Expansion SFM or PRIME-XV MSC Expansion XSFM if the cells were previously cultured/stored in serum-containing media or a different media?

A. An adaptation step is not needed for shifting to a PRIME-XV MSC Expansion SFM or PRIME-XV MSC Expansion XSFM. It is, however, highly recommended to use an attachment substrate (such as PRIME-XV Human Fibronectin) to promote cell attachment when making the shift.

Q. Can PRIME-XV MSC Expansion XSFM be used to culture cells without an attachment substrate?

A. PRIME-XV MSC Expansion XSFM can be used to culture cells without an attachment substrate; however, this may result in suboptimal performance, as compared to culturing cells with an attachment substrate (such as PRIME-XV Human Fibronectin). Generally, MSCs at higher passage numbers require an attachment substrate for efficient adherence to the culture vessel.

Q. Can PRIME-XV Human Fibronectin be used for the culturing of stem cells?

A. PRIME-XV Human Fibronectin can be used as an attachment substrate to support optimal attachment and growth of human primary cells, including stem or progenitor cells. The recommended concentration is provided in the product insert.

Q. Can PRIME-XV MSC Expansion SFM be used to culture animal (murine) cells?

A. Data to support animal (murine) cells using PRIME-XV MSC Expansion SFM has not been collected at FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific.

Q. Can PRIME-XV MSC Expansion XSFM be used for exosome production?

A. Preliminary investigation along with customer testimonials show that PRIME-XV MSC Expansion XSFM works for EV production.

Q. Has PRIME-XV MSC Expansion XSFM been used for expansion of cells on microcarriers?

A. PRIME-XV MSC Expansion XSFM has been evaluated and proven for scale-up productions using Corning and Hyperflask-CellBIND. Protocol and data are available upon request through Technical Support Services.

Q. How often do MSCs need to be passaged when cultured in PRIME-XV MSC Expansion SFM or PRIME-XV MSC Expansion XSFM?

A. Cells should be passaged when they reach at least 80% confluency. Three passages are recommended to obtain a stable culture. Generally, human MSCs cultured in PRIME-XV MSC Expansion SFM or PRIME-XV MSC Expansion XSFM are passaged every three to four days if seeded at 4,000 to 6,000 cells/cm2 in static culture conditions. However, the optimal frequency of passaging depends on the media performance and initial seeding density. When culturing in a perfusion bioreactor (such as Quantum), passaging is not needed.

Q. When plates/flasks with confluent MSC cultures are trypsinized, is it normal to see the cells coming off in sheets, requiring a lot of agitation to fully dislodge the cells?

A. Cultures where the cells are very confluent or monolayers can detach in sheets. For MSCs, it is not recommended to let the cells go above 80% confluency. Dissociation into single cells from very confluent cells may require a longer incubation period with the dissociating agent. If the plates are coated with an attachment substrate such as fibronectin, more than five minutes may be required to detach the cells.