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Use of a New Buffer in the Culture of Animal Cells

Virology Department St Mary's Hospital Medical School, London, W.2

Growth of animal cells in a nutritionally complete tissue culture medium is usually optimal when the medium is buffered at a pH in the range 7.2 to 7.4. To function most efficiently the pKa of the chosen buffer should be as close to the required pH as possible. The most commonly used buffer in tissue culture media is the bicarbonate + carbon dioxide buffer but phosphate or tris buffers have also been used. Each of these buffers has particular disadvantages for use with in vitro biological systems. The bicarbonate + CO₂ buffer, pKa of 6.3 at 37°, has the obvious limitation that one component is in the gaseous phase and tissue cultures must be maintained in a closed system. Although the phosphate buffer has a more suitable pKa, 6.9 at 37°, phosphates form insoluble complexes with essential divalent cations when used at concentrations necessary for a suitable buffering capacity.

Received 7 November 1967; accepted 20 November 1967.