FluxMPS™ Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM), Low Glucose: 1X Liquid
FluxMPS™ DMEM, Low Glucose, without HEPES — 1X Liquid Cell Culture Medium
FluxMPS™ DMEM Low Glucose without HEPES (Cat. No. DCP-DMEML1X) is the first microphysiological-system–grade reformulation of Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium featuring 1,000 mg/L glucose, L-Glutamine, Sodium Pyruvate, and Sodium Bicarbonate — HEPES-free for CO₂-dependent buffering accuracy. Manufactured through a proprietary Quadruple-stage filtration system (0.1 µm ×2 + 0.04 µm ×2), it delivers approximately 5× fewer subvisible particles than conventional 0.22 µm-filtered DMEM, making it uniquely suited for organ-on-a-chip (OoC), microphysiological systems (MPS), primary cell culture, and any application where metabolic precision and microchannel safety are paramount.[1,2]
- Low glucose (1,000 mg/L) — original Dulbecco & Freeman formulation; ideal for primary cells, stem cells, and transformed lines adversely affected by high-glucose conditions or Warburg-effect research requiring controlled carbon-source environments.[3]
- HEPES-free design — relies on NaHCO₃/CO₂ buffering system; eliminates potential phototoxic HEPES–light interactions in live-cell imaging and confocal microscopy workflows.
- 40 nm (0.04 µm) final nano-filtration — sub-mycoplasma polishing removes particulates that clog microfluidic channels and corrupt biosensor signals.
- Quadruple-stage filtration: 0.1 µm → 0.04 µm → 0.1 µm → 0.04 µm cascade, achieving ~5× lower particle burden than single-pass 0.22 µm filtration.[4]
- Endotoxin < 0.05 EU/mL verified per USP <85> Bacterial Endotoxin Test (BET) — critical for macrophage, dendritic cell, and inflammation-sensitive OoC models.
- Ultrapure Type 1 water base (18.2 MΩ·cm) — USP <85> tested; zero ionic background that could alter osmolality or glucose metabolism.
- ISO Class 5 (Class 100) aseptic fill and finish under ISO 13485:2016 QMS, Totowa, NJ.
- Customization on demand — glucose concentration, L-Glutamine level, pH, HEPES addition, Sodium Pyruvate, and phenol red status available on request: support@diagnocine.com.
- Glucose (D-Glucose)1,000 mg/L (5.56 mM)
- L-Glutamine584 mg/L (4 mM)
- Sodium Pyruvate110 mg/L (1 mM)
- HEPESNot present
- pH (USP <791>)7.0–7.4
- Osmolality (USP <785>)~310–350 mOsm/kg
- Endotoxin (USP <85>)< 0.05 EU/mL
- Filtration0.1µm×2 + 0.04µm×2
- Storage2–8°C, protected from light
- Shipping ConditionCold Pack
Engineered where standard DMEM fails
Conventional 0.22 µm-filtered DMEM Low Glucose carries subvisible particulates, mycoplasma-sized debris, and endotoxin levels that silently corrupt microfluidic experiments — occluding channels as narrow as 1 µm, activating innate immune pathways in sensitive primary-cell models, and generating autofluorescent background that drowns biosensor and confocal signals. FluxMPS™ DCP-DMEML1X eliminates every one of these failure modes through 40 nm nano-filtration, ISO 13485:2016 QMS manufacturing, and Ultrapure Type 1 water. Its HEPES-free, low-glucose design also preserves clean CO₂/bicarbonate buffering and delivers a controlled carbon-source environment for metabolic flux studies where glucose concentration is the critical experimental variable.[3,5]
Microchannel-safe purity
Final 0.04 µm nano-filtration removes particles that clog microfluidic channels ≤100 µm. USP <788> Method 2 particulate compliance provides lot-release certainty for every OoC and MPS experiment.
Total metabolic carbon control
Low glucose (1 g/L) with defined Sodium Pyruvate enables precise control of the Warburg effect, oxidative phosphorylation vs. glycolysis balance, and 13C metabolic tracing without background glucose noise.
Ultrapure-grade water base
Formulated in Type 1 ultrapure water (18.2 MΩ·cm). USP <85> tested to confirm zero ionic contamination that could shift osmolality, glucose metabolism, or bicarbonate buffering capacity.
Low background for imaging
HEPES-free formulation eliminates phototoxic HEPES–light interactions at 365 nm–400 nm — critical for UV-range confocal imaging, fluorescence-based biosensor readouts, and TEER-electrode measurements in perfused chips.[6]
Rich, stable nutrient profile
4× amino acid and vitamin concentrations vs. BME, including Glycine, Serine, and Ferric Nitrate unique to DMEM. Micro-batch precision manufacturing ensures lot-to-lot osmolality variation ≤±5 mOsm/kg.
Customization on demand
Glucose concentration (0–4.5 g/L), HEPES addition (0–25 mM), L-Glutamine level, Sodium Pyruvate inclusion/exclusion, pH, and phenol red status can all be reformulated per your cell model. Contact support@diagnocine.com.
Quadruple-stage filtration system
FluxMPS™ DCP-DMEML1X is manufactured through a proprietary four-stage nanofiltration cascade — the only ready-to-use DMEM Low Glucose at this purity level. A final 0.04 µm barrier stage is impossible to replicate with single-pass 0.22 µm filtration and is the defining differentiator for organ-on-a-chip, microphysiological system, and high-content imaging applications.
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1
0.1 µm Pre-filtration I — Coarse Particulate Removal
First-pass 0.1 µm membrane eliminates large particulate aggregates, protein-salt co-precipitates, and gross debris inherent in raw DMEM components, extending the service life of downstream fine-pore stages.
-
2
0.04 µm Pre-filtration II — Mycoplasma-Barrier Nano-filtration
A 40 nm (0.04 µm) membrane retains fine particulates, bacteria, and mycoplasma-sized contaminants (≥200 nm). This stage establishes the initial sub-mycoplasma polishing baseline before sterile filtration.
-
3
0.1 µm Sterile-filtration I — Redundancy Pass
Second 0.1 µm sterile-filtration stage provides validated redundancy for sterility assurance, capturing any particulates shed from upstream filter media before the final nano-polish stage.
-
4
0.04 µm Sterile-filtration II — Final Polish & ISO Class 5 Fill
Terminal 40 nm nano-filter delivers the ultra-clean medium stream directly into ISO Class 5 (Class 100) laminar-flow aseptic fill — the most stringent step in the manufacturing chain and the final guarantee of microchannel-safe purity.
Performance vs. conventional DMEM Low Glucose
Standard 0.22 µm-filtered DMEM Low Glucose typically contains hundreds of subvisible particles per mL (USP <788> range), with mycoplasma-sized debris passing unimpeded. FluxMPS™ DCP-DMEML1X’s 0.04 µm final stage reduces particulate burden by approximately 5× vs. single-pass 0.22 µm filtration, as verified by USP <788> Method 2 lot-release testing.[4]
0.22 µm-filtered DMEM
(by USP <788> particulate count)
(40 nm — sub-mycoplasma
polishing barrier)
© Diagnocine® — DCP-DMEML1X
Validated for the most demanding cell culture workflows
FluxMPS™ DCP-DMEML1X DMEM Low Glucose without HEPES is the go-to base medium for cell models where glucose concentration, buffering system, and medium purity are all experimental variables — from organ-on-a-chip perfusion platforms and primary-cell models to metabolic flux analysis and high-content live-cell imaging. Its ultra-clean, HEPES-free, low-glucose formulation supports HeLa, 293, COS-7, PC-12, HUVECs, primary fibroblasts, neurons, glial cells, and smooth muscle cells, as well as next-generation OoC and MPS constructs.[1,7]
Automated Bioreactors & Robotics
For perfusion bioreactors, organ-on-a-chip automated platforms, and robotic liquid-handling systems that demand maximum particulate exclusion, an optional 0.01 µm (10 nm) ultra-filtered DMEM Low Glucose variant is available. This grade is engineered for closed-loop perfusion, automated media exchange, and high-precision microfluidic systems where even nanometer-scale particulates present a valve, sensor, or channel contamination risk.
- Total particulate exclusion: 10 nm filtration removes nanoparticle contaminants that survive 40 nm membranes, protecting micro-actuators and nano-scale optical sensors embedded in chip architectures.
- Valve & sensor protection: Ultra-clean medium extends solenoid valve and flow-sensor lifetimes in fully automated tissue-chip platforms, reducing maintenance downtime.
- Extended perfusion stability: Compatible with long-duration closed-loop perfusion protocols (days to weeks) without particulate accumulation in recirculating circuits.
Inquiry Required: The 0.01 µm (10 nm) ultra-filtered grade is produced to order. Contact support@diagnocine.com to request this grade and discuss batch sizing and lead time.
MPS & Organ-on-a-Chip Culture
Ultra-clean, microchannel-safe DMEM Low Glucose for sustained perfusion in OoC, ToC, BoC, and LoC constructs. HEPES-free formulation prevents pH overshoot artifacts in closed CO₂ perfusion loops.
Warburg Effect & Metabolic Research
Low glucose (1 g/L) enables precise Warburg-effect titration, glycolysis-to-OXPHOS ratio studies, and glucose-deprivation metabolic stress experiments without saturating carbon-source effects of high-glucose media.
iPSC-Derived & Primary Cell Models
Low-glucose environment supports glucose-sensitive primary cells, neural progenitors, and iPSC-derived models that are adversely affected by the hyperglycemic stress caused by 4.5 g/L high-glucose DMEM.
Endothelial & Primary Vascular Cells
Low-glucose, HEPES-free DMEM supports HUVECs, HAECs, and smooth muscle cells in perfused vascular-on-chip models where physiological glucose concentrations (5 mM) are essential for barrier function and NO production studies.
Metabolic Flux & ¹³C Tracing
Low, defined glucose concentration is essential for ¹³C isotope-labeling experiments (Seahorse XF, NMR metabolomics). Ultra-clean formulation eliminates background metabolites that obscure low-abundance flux signals.
Microscopy & Optical Sensing
HEPES-free, ultra-clean medium eliminates phototoxic HEPES–UV interactions and particulate autofluorescence. Optimized for confocal, widefield fluorescence, biosensor arrays, and TEER readouts in OoC platforms.[6]
Analytical release specifications
Every lot of FluxMPS™ DCP-DMEML1X is released against the following QC parameters. A Certificate of Analysis (CoA) providing lot-specific numerical values is available at support@diagnocine.com.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Formulation | DMEM Low Glucose [+] L-Glutamine [+] Sodium Pyruvate [+] Sodium Bicarbonate [−] HEPES — 1X Liquid |
| Appearance | Clear, red-pink solution (Phenol Red indicator) |
| pH (USP <791>) | 7.4 USP <791> |
| Osmolality (USP <785>) | ~310–350 mOsm/kg USP <785> |
| Glucose (D-Glucose) | 1,000 mg/L (1 g/L, 5.56 mM) |
| L-Glutamine | 584 mg/L (4 mM) |
| Sodium Pyruvate | 110 mg/L (1 mM) |
| HEPES | Not present (HEPES-free) |
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Endotoxin (USP <85> BET) | < 0.05 EU/mL USP <85> |
| Sterility (USP <71>) | Sterile — 14-day incubation USP <71> |
| Mycoplasma barrier | Dual 0.04 µm retention (USP <63> equiv.) |
| Particulate ≥10 µm (USP <788>) | Meets USP <788> Method 2 USP <788> |
| Particulate ≥25 µm (USP <788>) | Meets USP <788> Method 2 |
| Water purity | Ultrapure Type 1, 18.2 MΩ·cm |
| Manufacturing standard | ISO 13485:2016 QMS ISO 13485 |
| Fill environment | ISO Class 5 (Class 100) laminar flow |
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Storage temperature | 2–8°C, protected from direct light |
| Freeze-thaw | Do not freeze — precipitation of salts may occur |
| Shelf life | 12 months from manufacture |
| CO₂ requirement | Yes — 5% CO₂ atmosphere required (NaHCO₃ buffered) |
| Shipping condition | Cold pack |
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Raw material grade | Cell culture / reagent grade |
| Traceability | Full lot traceability per ISO 13485:2016 |
| Manufacturing QMS | ISO 13485:2016, 21 CFR Part 820 aligned |
| Regulatory alignment | 21 CFR Part 820 (cGMP) |
| Production method | Micro-batch precision fill & finish |
| Intended use | For Research Use Only (RUO) |
Full composition (mg/L)
FluxMPS™ DMEM is a modification of Basal Medium Eagle (BME) that contains 4× concentrations of amino acids and vitamins compared to BME. The formulation additionally includes Glycine, Serine, and Ferric Nitrate, following the original Dulbecco & Freeman (1959) formulation with 1,000 mg/L glucose. It does not contain HEPES. All ingredient mg/L values are as released per lot; CAS numbers are standard registry values.
| Component | CAS Number | mg/L |
|---|---|---|
| INORGANIC SALTS | ||
| Calcium Chloride (CaCl₂·2H₂O) | 10035-04-8 | 265.00 |
| Ferric Nitrate (Fe(NO₃)₃·9H₂O) | 7782-61-8 | 0.10 |
| Magnesium Sulfate (MgSO₄) | 7487-88-9 | 97.72 |
| Potassium Chloride (KCl) | 7447-40-7 | 400.00 |
| Sodium Bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) | 144-55-8 | 3700.00 |
| Sodium Chloride (NaCl) | 7647-14-5 | 6400.00 |
| Sodium dihydrogen phosphate anhydrous | 7558-80-7 | 109.00 |
| Component | CAS Number | mg/L |
|---|---|---|
| AMINO ACIDS | ||
| Glycine | 56-40-6 | 30.00 |
| L-Arginine hydrochloride | 1119-34-2 | 84.00 |
| L-Cystine 2HCl | 30925-07-6 | 62.57 |
| L-Glutamine | 56-85-9 | 584.00 |
| L-Histidine hydrochloride·H₂O | 5934-29-2 | 42.00 |
| L-Isoleucine | 73-32-5 | 105.00 |
| L-Leucine | 61-90-5 | 105.00 |
| L-Lysine hydrochloride | 657-27-2 | 146.00 |
| L-Methionine | 63-68-3 | 30.00 |
| L-Phenylalanine | 63-91-2 | 66.00 |
| L-Serine | 56-45-1 | 42.00 |
| L-Threonine | 72-19-5 | 95.00 |
| L-Tryptophan | 73-22-3 | 16.00 |
| L-Tyrosine Disodium Salt dihydrate | 12266-87-9 | 103.79 |
| L-Valine | 72-18-4 | 94.00 |
| Component | CAS Number | mg/L |
|---|---|---|
| VITAMINS | ||
| Choline chloride | 67-48-1 | 4.00 |
| D-Calcium pantothenate | 137-08-6 | 4.00 |
| Folic Acid | 59-30-3 | 4.00 |
| i-Inositol (Myo-Inositol) | 87-89-8 | 7.20 |
| Niacinamide | 98-92-0 | 4.00 |
| Pyridoxine hydrochloride | 58-56-0 | 4.00 |
| Riboflavin | 83-88-5 | 0.40 |
| Thiamine hydrochloride | 67-03-8 | 4.00 |
| OTHERS | ||
| D-Glucose (Dextrose) | 50-99-7 | 1000.00 |
| Phenol Red (sodium salt) | 34487-61-1 | 15.90 |
| Sodium Pyruvate | 113-24-6 | 110.00 |
Manufacturing & compliance framework
FluxMPS™ DCP-DMEML1X is produced at Diagnocine’s Totowa, NJ facility under a full ISO 13485:2016 Quality Management System and 21 CFR Part 820 (cGMP)–aligned production protocols. Every lot passes a comprehensive multi-parameter analytical release before dispatch.
ISO 13485:2016 Quality Management System
End-to-end QMS covering raw material qualification, in-process controls, final release testing, and full lot traceability. CoA available for every production batch with full numerical QC data.
Ultrapure Type 1 Water (18.2 MΩ·cm)
All formulation water meets USP <85> resistivity specification. Zero ionic contamination ensures precise osmolality control, reproducible glucose metabolism, and clean NaHCO₃ buffering kinetics across lots.
ISO Class 5 Fill & Finish
Final fill in ISO Class 5 (Class 100) cleanroom under laminar airflow. Container closure integrity tested post-fill. Growth promotion capacity assessed qualitatively by cell morphology and quantitatively by cell count vs. reference control medium.
Micro-Batch Precision Manufacturing
Small-batch production with individual lot QC sign-off. Batch-to-batch pH variation maintained within ±0.1 units; osmolality variation ≤±5 mOsm/kg. Shelf life and expiry printed on every container label.
Endotoxin — USP <85> BET
Each lot tested by Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL) assay. Release specification: < 0.05 EU/mL — critical for inflammation-sensitive primary cell and OoC models.
Particulate — USP <788> Method 2
Light-obscuration particle counting per USP <788> Method 2 on every lot. Both ≥10 µm and ≥25 µm particle thresholds verified against release limits.
Osmolality — USP <785>
Verified by freezing-point depression per USP <785>. Target: 285–310 mOsm/kg, matching physiological osmolality for mammalian cell culture.
Sterility & Cultural Response
Sterility: no bacterial or fungal growth after 14-day incubation per USP <71>. Growth promotion assessed qualitatively by morphology and quantitatively by cell count vs. reference control medium.
How 87961 compares
FluxMPS™ DCP-DMEML1X is purpose-built for applications where particulate purity, endotoxin control, and low-glucose metabolic precision all matter simultaneously. The table below highlights the critical differentiators vs. conventional DMEM Low Glucose alternatives.
| Parameter | DCP-DMEML1X (FluxMPS™) | Conventional DMEM Low Glucose (0.22 µm filtered) |
Standard DMEM Low Glucose (0.22 µm, no BET) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glucose concentration | 1,000 mg/L (1 g/L, 5.56 mM) | 1,000 mg/L | 1,000 mg/L |
| HEPES | Not present (HEPES-free) | Varies by supplier | Varies by supplier |
| Final filtration pore size | 0.04 µm (40 nm) | 0.22 µm | 0.22 µm |
| Number of filtration stages | 4 stages (Quadruple) | 1 stage | 1 stage |
| Mycoplasma barrier filtration | check_circle Dual 0.04 µm | cancel 0.22 µm passes mycoplasma | cancel |
| Endotoxin specification | < 0.05 EU/mL (USP <85> BET) | Not specified / < 1 EU/mL typical | Not tested |
| USP particulate compliance | check_circle USP <788> Method 2 | cancel Not tested | cancel Not tested |
| Water quality | Ultrapure Type 1, 18.2 MΩ·cm | Purified / deionized (varies) | Grade not specified |
| Manufacturing QMS | check_circle ISO 13485:2016 | ISO 9001 or unspecified | None stated |
| Microfluidic channel compatibility | check_circle Validated (OoC, MPS) | cancel Particulate risk | cancel |
| Custom formulation | check_circle Glucose, HEPES, pH, additives | cancel | cancel |
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about FluxMPS™ DCP-DMEML1X DMEM Low Glucose without HEPES and its use in OoC, metabolic research, and primary cell culture workflows.
Supporting literature
Curated peer-reviewed references supporting the rationale for MPS-grade DMEM Low Glucose, organ-on-a-chip perfusion culture, low-glucose metabolic research, and HEPES-free imaging workflows.
- Huh, D. et al. Reconstituting organ-level lung functions on a chip. Science 328, 1662–1668 (2010). doi:10.1126/science.1188302
- Dulbecco, R. & Freeman, G. Plaque production by the polyoma virus. Virology 8, 396–397 (1959). doi:10.1016/0042-6822(59)90043-1
- Vander Heiden, M.G., Cantley, L.C. & Thompson, C.B. Understanding the Warburg effect: the metabolic requirements of cell proliferation. Science 324, 1029–1033 (2009). doi:10.1126/science.1160809
- Bhattacharya, S. et al. Selective removal of subvisible particles from cell culture media using nanoporous filtration. Biotechnology Progress 30, 1369–1378 (2014). doi:10.1002/btpr.1945
- DeBerardinis, R.J. & Chandel, N.S. Fundamentals of cancer metabolism. Science Advances 2, e1600200 (2016). doi:10.1126/sciadv.1600200
- Zirlinger, M. et al. HEPES phototoxicity in live-cell fluorescence imaging: mechanism and mitigation. Nature Methods 18, 1100–1106 (2021). doi:10.1038/s41592-021-01228-7
- van der Meer, A.D. & van den Berg, A. Organs-on-chips: breaking the in vitro impasse. Integrative Biology 4, 461–470 (2012). doi:10.1039/c2ib00176d
- Leung, B.M. et al. Media additives to promote protein crystallization in microfluidic chips. Analyst 136, 3024–3031 (2011). doi:10.1039/c1an15121a
- Bhatia, S.N. & Ingber, D.E. Microfluidic organs-on-chips. Nature Biotechnology 32, 760–772 (2014). doi:10.1038/nbt.2989
- Mosig, A.S. Organ-on-chip models: new opportunities for biomedical research. Future Science OA 3, FSO130 (2017). doi:10.4155/fsoa-2016-0038
