What makes the filtration superior to standard 0.22 micron-filtered buffer?

DCP-ACSF1X passes through four sequential membrane stages, 0.1 micron membrane filtration twice and 0.04 micron membrane filtration twice, before aseptic fill, removing finer particulates and bioburden, including organisms in the mycoplasma size range (about 0.2 micron), compared with a single 0.22 micron pass.

What pH, molarity, and ionic strength should I expect, and can these be adjusted for my protocol?

Sealed product is released at pH about 7.1-7.2 at 25C and reaches pH 7.35-7.45 after carbogen equilibration at 32-34C, with NaCl at 119 mM, NaHCO3 at 26.2 mM, KCl at 2.5 mM, NaH2PO4 at 1 mM, MgCl2 at 1.3 mM, and glucose at 10 mM. Adjustments are available on request.

At what temperature is the pH specified, and how stable is it during storage and use?

pH is specified at 25C for sealed storage and at 32-34C after carbogen bubbling. Product is stable for 4 months at 4C sealed and 4 weeks after opening when stored at 4C in the dark.

Can DCP-ACSF1X be supplemented with salts, detergents, chelators, or other additives?

Yes. Calcium is withheld from the shipped formulation to prevent precipitation; users add 2.5 mM CaCl2 after adjusting pH to 7.3-7.4. Additional additives can be incorporated into a custom formulation on request.

Artificial Cerebrospinal Fluid (ACSF), Standard

Q: Is a Certificate of Analysis (CoA) available, and what does it contain?

Yes. A lot-specific CoA is available on request and includes appearance, pH, osmolality, endotoxin, sterility, and USP 788 particulate results.

MPS-Grade Neuroscience Buffer

ISO 13485 Certified Manufacturing

FluxMPS™ Artificial Cerebrospinal Fluid (ACSF), Standard

FluxMPS™ Artificial Cerebrospinal Fluid (ACSF), Standard is an MPS-grade, physiologically balanced buffer formulated to closely mimic the ionic composition, osmolality, and pH of native cerebrospinal fluid. Each 500 mL unit is quadruple-stage filtered (0.1 µm membrane twice and 0.04 µm membrane twice) and aseptically filled to support neuronal viability during brain slice electrophysiology, in vivo perfusion, and microdialysis workflows, including emerging microfluidic neural tissue chip applications.

Quadruple-stage filtration: 0.1 µm membrane twice, 0.04 µm membrane twice for ultra-low particulate and bioburden
Endotoxin <0.5 EU/mL, verified per USP <85> Bacterial Endotoxins Test
Physiological pH 7.35–7.45 achieved after carbogen (95% O₂/5% CO₂) equilibration at 32–34°C
Balanced ionic profile: NaCl, NaHCO₃, KCl, NaH₂PO₄, MgCl₂, and glucose at defined molarity
Aseptically filled under ISO Class 5 (Class 100) conditions using Ultrapure Type 1 water (18.2 MΩ·cm)
Microchannel-safe purity suitable for microfluidic neural perfusion and slice-chamber systems
Custom pH, molarity, ionic strength, and additive formulations available on request

SKU: DCP-ACSF1X · UNSPSC 12161706 — Neutral Buffers Balanced Salt Solutions

Artificial Cerebrospinal Fluid (ACSF), Standard — 500 mL

pH (sealed, 25°C)~7.1–7.2
pH (post-carbogen, 32–34°C)7.35–7.45
Osmolality300–315 mOsm/kg
NaCl119 mM
NaHCO₃26.2 mM
Endotoxin<0.5 EU/mL
SterilityPass USP <71>
Filtration0.1 µm x2, 0.04 µm x2
Storage4°C, protected from light
Shelf Life4 months sealed / 4 weeks opened

ISO 13485:2016 USP <85> <785> <788> RUO

Why FluxMPS™

Engineered where standard ACSF falls short

Conventional single-pass, 0.22 µm-filtered ACSF can carry subvisible particulates, drift in pH and ionic strength during storage, and introduce endotoxin carry-over that compromises neuronal viability and electrophysiological stability. FluxMPS™ DCP-ACSF1X is engineered to close these gaps for demanding neuroscience and microfluidic workflows.

filter_alt

Microchannel-safe purity

Final 0.04 µm filtration stage and USP <788> Method 2 particulate compliance (≤25/mL ≥10 µm, ≤3/mL ≥25 µm) protect fine microfluidic channels and slice chambers from occlusion.

target

Precise, stable pH

Bicarbonate/phosphate buffering delivers a defined pH of ~7.1–7.2 in sealed storage and 7.35–7.45 after carbogen equilibration, matching physiological cerebrospinal fluid chemistry.

water_drop

Ultrapure-grade water

Formulated with Ultrapure Type 1 water (18.2 MΩ·cm) meeting USP <85> water quality expectations, minimizing trace contaminants in sensitive neuronal preparations.

visibility

Low background for imaging & assays

Clear, colorless, particulate-controlled formulation supports confocal imaging, patch-clamp electrophysiology, and biosensor recordings without optical or electrical interference.

science

Defined, traceable composition

Every salt and additive is lot-released against nominal concentration (Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl^- within ±5% of nominal) for reproducible tissue physiology.

tune

Customization on demand

pH, molarity, ionic strength, salt composition, and additive content can be adjusted to match specific slice, perfusion, or microdialysis protocols — contact support@diagnocine.com.

Purity Architecture

Quadruple-stage filtration system

DCP-ACSF1X is manufactured with a four-stage sequential membrane filtration process — 0.1 µm membrane filtration performed twice and 0.04 µm membrane filtration performed twice — prior to ISO Class 5 aseptic fill, delivering ultra-low particulate and bioburden control for sensitive neuronal and microfluidic applications.

1

0.1 µm Pre-filtration I

Removes large particulates and aggregates from the raw formulated buffer, extending the service life of downstream sterilizing-grade filters.
2

0.04 µm Pre-filtration II

Retains fine particulates and reduces bioburden ahead of final sterile filtration, protecting the integrity of the bicarbonate/phosphate buffer system.
3

0.1 µm Sterile-filtration I

Provides second-pass redundancy through a fresh 0.1 µm membrane immediately before the final polishing stage.
4

0.04 µm Sterile-filtration II — Final Polish

Final 0.04 µm polish reduces bioburden, including organisms in the mycoplasma size range (reported as small as approximately 0.2 micron), immediately before ISO Class 5 (Class 100) aseptic fill.

Performance vs. conventional buffer

Sequential 0.1 µm and 0.04 µm filtration removes finer particulates and bioburden than a single 0.22 µm filtration pass typically used for standard ACSF, supporting cleaner perfusion in slice chambers and microfluidic neural systems.

0.04 µm

Final filtration stage

4

Total filtration stages

Each lot is process-verified to Pass USP <71> sterility testing, with endotoxin controlled below 0.5 EU/mL per USP <85> Bacterial Endotoxins Test, supporting aseptic assurance for sensitive neuronal preparations.

DCP-ACSF1X FluxMPS Artificial Cerebrospinal Fluid quadruple-stage filtration diagram showing 0.1 micron membrane twice and 0.04 micron membrane twice for organ-on-a-chip and brain slice microfluidic applications, Diagnocine — **Figure 1.** Quadruple-stage filtration architecture applied to DCP-ACSF1X: 0.1 µm membrane filtration twice, followed by 0.04 µm membrane filtration twice, prior to aseptic fill.
© Diagnocine® — DCP-ACSF1X

Applications

Built for neuroscience and microphysiological workflows

Artificial cerebrospinal fluid closely matches the ion concentrations, pH, and oncotic pressure of human cerebrospinal fluid. In research, ACSF acts as a CSF substitute to protect intermediate neurons during brain slice perfusion while maintaining pH balance and tissue oxygenation — supporting applications such as rat brain microdialysis, hippocampal slice cultures, in vitro brain slice electrophysiology, in vivo cerebral perfusion, and local irrigation for treating rat brain trauma lesions. It also serves as a vehicle for intracerebral or intrathecal administration, supporting tissue homeostasis and stable electrophysiological properties throughout an experiment.

Automated Bioreactors & Robotics

Next-Generation System Uptime

For automated perfusion platforms and robotic liquid-handling systems supporting brain organoid or neural microfluidic culture, an optional 0.01 µm (10 nm) ultra-filtered variant of this ACSF formulation is available on request to further minimize valve and sensor fouling during continuous, unattended operation.

Total Particulate Exclusion — sub-10 nm filtration for long-duration automated perfusion runs
Valve & Sensor Protection — minimizes microfluidic valve and flow-sensor fouling
Extended Perfusion Stability — supports uninterrupted robotic dosing and slice-chamber perfusion cycles

Inquiry Required: the 0.01 µm ultra-filtered grade is produced to order — contact support@diagnocine.com to request this configuration.

Microfluidics

Micro Physiological System (MPS) & Chip

Physiologically balanced, ultra-filtered ACSF supports neural microfluidic chip perfusion where microchannel-safe purity and stable ionic strength are required.

OoCToCBoCLoCMPS

Sample Preparation

Wash, Dilution & Reconstitution

Used as a physiological wash and perfusion vehicle in brain slice preparation and microdialysis probe equilibration protocols.

LysisDilutionReconstitutionRinse

Stem Cell Biology

iPSC-Derived Model Handling

Supports perfusion and handling of iPSC-derived neuronal cultures requiring a defined, low-endotoxin ionic environment.

iPSC-NeuronsiPSC-CMiPSC-Hep

Vascular Biology

Endothelial & Primary Cell Perfusion

Compatible with primary neuronal and endothelial perfusion protocols requiring tight control of divalent cation concentration (Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺).

HUVECsHAECsPrimary hepatocytes

Immunoassays

ELISA, Blotting & Blocking

Low-particulate, low-endotoxin formulation is suitable as a physiological diluent buffer in downstream immunoassay workflows.

ELISAWestern blotIHCIF

Live-Cell Imaging

Microscopy & Optical Sensing

Clear, colorless, particulate-controlled ACSF supports patch-clamp electrophysiology and confocal imaging of acute brain slices without optical interference.

ConfocalBiosensorsTEER

Troubleshooting guide for slice electrophysiology

Common issues encountered during acute brain slice electrophysiology using ACSF, and their likely causes and solutions.

Problem	Likely Cause	Solution
Poor seal formation (>30 sec)	Old animal tissue, insufficient recovery time	Use NMDG protocol, extend recovery to 15 min
High series resistance	Damaged cells, divalent cation imbalance	Check Ca²⁺/Mg²⁺ concentrations, reduce slice thickness
Rapid rundown	Oxidative stress, insufficient antioxidants	Increase ascorbate to 10 mM, check fresh preparation
Precipitation after Ca²⁺ addition	pH too high, added Ca²⁺ before pH adjustment	Adjust pH to 7.3-7.4 first, then add Ca²⁺ slowly while stirring
Cloudy solution	Contamination, expired components	Discard, sterilize equipment, use fresh antioxidants
Low viable neuron yield	Poor slicing technique, inadequate oxygenation	Use glycerol cutting solution, check carbogen flow rate

Technical Specifications

Detailed product specifications

Physical, chemical, sterility, and logistics parameters for DCP-ACSF1X, as tested and released per lot.

Physical & Chemical Parameters

Parameter	Specification
Formulation / Composition	Balanced salt ACSF containing NaCl, NaHCO₃, KCl, NaH₂PO₄, MgCl₂, and glucose (see full composition table below)
Appearance	Clear, colorless, no visible particles
pH, sealed storage (USP <791>) USP <791>	~7.1–7.2 at 25°C
pH, post-carbogen equilibration	7.35–7.45 at 32–34°C
Osmolality (USP <785>) USP <785>	300–315 mOsm/kg
Molarity / Concentration	See full composition table below
Buffering system	Bicarbonate (CO₂/HCO₃^-) primary buffer; requires carbogen (95% O₂/5% CO₂) equilibration to reach final pH
Ionic composition	See full composition table below

Sterility, Purity & Safety Parameters

Parameter	Specification
Endotoxin (USP <85> BET) USP <85>	<0.5 EU/mL
Sterility (USP <71>) USP <71>	Pass
Particulate ≥10 µm (USP <788>) USP <788>	≤25/mL
Particulate ≥25 µm (USP <788>) USP <788>	≤3/mL
Water quality	Ultrapure Type 1 water (18.2 MΩ·cm)
Manufacturing standard ISO 13485	ISO 13485-certified, CE-approved facility
Fill environment	ISO Class 5 (Class 100) aseptic fill
Ion accuracy (Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl^-)	Within ±5% of nominal

Storage, Handling & Logistics

Parameter	Specification
Storage temperature	4°C, protected from light
Shelf life, sealed	4 months at 4°C, dark-light-protected case, oxygen-control container
Shelf life, after opening	4 weeks; store at 4°C in dark, aluminum-foiled condition
Shipping condition	Blue Ice
pH re-equilibration note	Bubble with 95% O₂/5% CO₂ via 0.1 µm disc filter for 10–15 minutes to reach pH 7.35–7.45

Raw Materials & Regulatory Traceability

Parameter	Specification
Traceability	Final packaging, QA, and testing performed at the DiagnoCine R&D and Quality Testing Center
Manufacturing QMS ISO 13485	ISO 13485-certified facility
Regulatory alignment	CE-approved facility (Suppliers of DiagnoCine Precision)
Production method	Custom assembly and packaging completed at DiagnoCine Precision, Totowa, New Jersey, USA
Intended use	Research Use Only; not for clinical, diagnostic, or therapeutic use in humans

Formulation

Full composition (mM)

DCP-ACSF1X is released against a defined, per-lot bicarbonate/phosphate-buffered salt composition. Calcium is intentionally withheld from the shipped formulation to prevent precipitation and is added by the end user immediately before use (see preparation notes below).

Component	CAS Number	Concentration
NaCl	7647-14-5	119 mM
NaHCO₃	144-55-8	26.2 mM
KCl	7447-40-7	2.5 mM
NaH₂PO₄	7558-80-7	1 mM
MgCl₂	7786-30-3	1.3 mM
Glucose	50-99-7	10 mM

Function & rationale

NaCl — main extracellular Na⁺, osmotic backbone of ACSF
NaHCO₃ — primary CO₂/HCO₃^- buffer; requires carbogen bubbling to reach final pH
KCl — maintains physiological K⁺ gradient across the neuronal membrane
NaH₂PO₄ — secondary phosphate buffer; stabilizes pH during storage
MgCl₂ — divalent cation; limits NMDA excitotoxicity, neuroprotective
Glucose — supports synaptic transmission and neuronal energy metabolism; added last during manufacturing to avoid precipitation

pH, molarity, ionic strength, salt composition, and additive content (including antioxidant supplementation) can be customized on request — contact support@diagnocine.com.

Quality Assurance

Manufacturing & compliance

DCP-ACSF1X is manufactured, filtered, and aseptically filled under a controlled quality system with full lot traceability.

verified

ISO 13485:2016 QMS

Manufactured under ISO 13485-certified and CE-approved facilities (Suppliers of DiagnoCine Precision).

water_drop

Ultrapure Type 1 Water

Formulated using Ultrapure Type 1 water (18.2 MΩ·cm) to minimize trace contaminants in the finished buffer.

biotech

ISO Class 5 Fill & Finish

Quadruple-stage filtered and aseptically filled under ISO Class 5 (Class 100) conditions.

assignment

Micro-Batch Precision

Final packaging, quality assurance, and testing performed at the DiagnoCine R&D and Quality Testing Center; specific customization requests and assembly are completed at DiagnoCine Precision in Totowa, New Jersey, USA.

Endotoxin (USP <85> BET)

Each lot is tested to confirm endotoxin below 0.5 EU/mL.

Particulate (USP <788> Method 2)

Particulate matter controlled to ≤25/mL ≥10 µm and ≤3/mL ≥25 µm.

Osmolality (USP <785>)

Released at 300–315 mOsm/kg per lot.

Documentation / CoA

Certificate of Analysis available per lot, including pH, osmolality, endotoxin, sterility, and particulate results.

Request a lot-specific Certificate of Analysis at support@diagnocine.com.

Product Comparison

How DCP-ACSF1X compares

A side-by-side comparison of DCP-ACSF1X against conventional single-pass filtered ACSF products.

Parameter	DCP-ACSF1X (FluxMPS™)	Conventional ACSF (0.22 µm filtered)	Standard alternative (0.22 µm filtered)
Physiological ionic match to native CSF	check_circle	check_circle	check_circle
Final filtration pore size	0.04 µm	0.22 µm	0.22 µm
Number of filtration stages	4	1	1
Endotoxin specification	<0.5 EU/mL	Not typically disclosed	Not typically disclosed
USP <788> particulate compliance	check_circle	cancel	cancel
Water quality	Ultrapure Type 1 (18.2 MΩ·cm)	Standard purified water	Standard purified water
Manufacturing QMS	ISO 13485:2016	Not specified	Not specified
Microfluidic channel compatibility	check_circle	cancel	cancel
Ion accuracy vs. nominal	±5%	Not specified	Not specified
Custom formulation available	check_circle	cancel	cancel

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Answers to common questions about DCP-ACSF1X formulation, filtration, and use.

Yes. The quadruple-stage filtered, low-particulate formulation is microchannel-safe and suitable for microfluidic neural tissue chip and organ-on-a-chip perfusion systems, as well as traditional slice-chamber and in vivo perfusion setups.

DCP-ACSF1X passes through four sequential membrane stages — 0.1 µm membrane filtration twice and 0.04 µm membrane filtration twice — before aseptic fill. This finer, multi-pass architecture removes finer particulates and bioburden, including organisms in the mycoplasma size range (reported as small as approximately 0.2 micron), compared with a single 0.22 µm pass.

Sealed product is released at pH ~7.1–7.2 (25°C) and reaches pH 7.35–7.45 after carbogen equilibration at 32–34°C, with NaCl at 119 mM, NaHCO₃ at 26.2 mM, KCl at 2.5 mM, NaH₂PO₄ at 1 mM, MgCl₂ at 1.3 mM, and glucose at 10 mM. pH, molarity, and ionic strength can be adjusted on request — contact support@diagnocine.com.

pH is specified at 25°C for sealed storage (~7.1–7.2) and at 32–34°C after carbogen bubbling (7.35–7.45). Product is stable for 4 months at 4°C in a dark, oxygen-controlled container when sealed, and for 4 weeks after opening when stored at 4°C in the dark.

Yes. Calcium is intentionally withheld from the shipped formulation to prevent precipitation during storage; end users add 2.5 mM CaCl₂ after adjusting pH to 7.3-7.4. Additional salts, antioxidants, or other additives can be incorporated into a custom formulation on request.

Endotoxin is controlled below 0.5 EU/mL and verified per lot using the USP <85> Bacterial Endotoxins Test.

Yes. A lot-specific CoA is available on request from support@diagnocine.com and includes appearance, pH, osmolality, endotoxin, sterility, and USP <788> particulate results.

Scientific References

Supporting literature

Curated references on ACSF formulation, brain slice electrophysiology, and buffer chemistry supporting the use of DCP-ACSF1X.

Ting JT, et al. Preparation of acute brain slices using an optimized N-methyl-D-glucamine protective recovery method. J Vis Exp. 2018. doi:10.3791/53825
Ting JT, et al. Preparation of acute brain slices using an optimized N-Methyl-D-glucamine protective recovery method. eLife. 2014. doi:10.7554/eLife.19052
Bickler PE, Buck LT. Hypoxia tolerance in reptiles, amphibians, and fishes: life with variable oxygen availability. Annu Rev Physiol. 2007. doi:10.1146/annurev.physiol.69.031905.162529
Huang W, Uusisaari MY. Physiological temperature during brain slicing enhances the quality of acute slice preparations. Front Cell Neurosci. 2013. doi:10.3389/fncel.2013.00048
de Lange ECM, et al. Cerebrospinal fluid dynamics and its role in central nervous system drug delivery. Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2017. doi:10.1016/j.addr.2017.05.005
Westerink RHS, Ewing AG. The PC12 cell as model for neurosecretion. Acta Physiol. 2008. doi:10.1111/j.1748-1716.2008.01858.x
Bhatt A, et al. Microfluidic platforms for organ-on-a-chip and neural tissue modeling. Lab Chip. 2020. doi:10.1039/D0LC00355G
Westergren I, Johansson BB. Altering the blood-brain barrier in the rat by intracarotid infusion of polycations: a comparison between protamine, poly-L-lysine and poly-L-arginine. Acta Physiol Scand. 1993. doi:10.1111/j.1748-1716.1993.tb09628.x
United States Pharmacopeia. USP <788> Particulate Matter in Injections, Method 2 (Light Obscuration). USP-NF.
United States Pharmacopeia. USP <85> Bacterial Endotoxins Test. USP-NF.