FluxMPS™ Ham's F-12K (Kaighn's) Medium [2X] Family
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- See the table below
FluxMPS™ Ham's F-12K (Kaighn's) Medium [2X] Family
A defined-nutrient modification of R.G. Ham's classic F-12 formulation, F-12K (Kaighn's) Medium was purpose-built to support primary human hepatocytes and select rat and chicken liver cell cultures under reduced-serum conditions. This [2X] family supplies the F-12K formulation at double strength — 2,520 mg/L glucose in the concentrate, 1,260 mg/L at 1X — so agar, agarose, a hydrogel, or another compatible solution can be added 1:1 without diluting the medium below 1X. FluxMPS™ brings this hepatocyte-optimized formulation through a 0.04 micron quadruple-stage filtration process engineered for microfluidic, Organ-on-Chip (OoC), and Lab-on-Chip (LoC) platforms.
- One FluxMPS™ configuration: F-12/Kaighn's, 2X Liquid (Catalog No. DCP-H12K2X)
- 2X concentrate: mix with an equal volume of a compatible solution or matrix for a final 1X medium
- Modification of Ham's F-12 nutrient mixture, specifically developed to support primary human hepatocytes and certain rat and chicken liver cells in a reduced-serum environment; increased amino acids and sodium pyruvate versus F-12, an adjusted salt composition, plus putrescine, hypoxanthine, and thymidine
- Glucose 2,520 mg/L at 2X (1,260 mg/L at 1X); L-glutamine 584 mg/L, sodium pyruvate 440 mg/L, and sodium bicarbonate 5,000 mg/L at 2X
- Formulated with L-Glutamine, Sodium Pyruvate, Sodium Bicarbonate, and Phenol Red included as standard; HEPES is not included as standard but is available as a customization
- Purified through FluxMPS™ quadruple-stage 0.04 micron filtration for microfluidic and Organ-on-Chip / Tissue-on-Chip / Lab-on-Chip compatibility
- Validated for CHO cells, cancer cell lines, primary cells, chicken embryonic cells, and — in its Kaighn's modification — primary human hepatocytes and rat/chicken liver cells; the 2X product page adds A549, PC-3, and CHO-K1 culture and semisolid or hydrogel media
- Available in a 500 mL size; stored at 2-8°C away from bright light, do not freeze; fully customizable via support@diagnocine.com
- Concentration2X (double strength)
- Working strength1X after 1:1 mixing
- Glucose2,520 mg/L at 2X (1,260 mg/L at 1X)
- L-GlutamineIncluded
- Sodium PyruvateIncluded
- Sodium BicarbonateIncluded
- HEPESNot included (available on request)
- Phenol RedIncluded
- BufferingSodium bicarbonate; 5-10% CO2
- Size500 mL
- Storage2-8 C, protect from light; do not freeze
At-a-Glance Supplement Matrix
Check the supplement(s) you require, press Search to confirm the configuration includes them, then click straight through to the product page via the catalog-number link or the View button.
| Name | Cat No. | L-Glutamine | Pyruvate | Bicarbonate | HEPES | Phenol Red | Product Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F-12 / Kaighn's | DCP-H12K2X | check | check | check | remove | check | Viewarrow_forward |
About Ham's F-12K (Kaighn's) Medium
Ham's F-12 nutrient mixture is a widely used basal medium for culturing a range of mammalian cells, including Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells, cancer cell lines, primary cells, and chicken embryonic cells. It was developed by R.G. Ham in 1965 as an enhancement over his earlier F-10 nutrient mixture, and carries a more comprehensive set of components — including zinc, putrescine, hypoxanthine, and thymidine — than other basal media such as DMEM.[2]
Ham's F-12K (Kaighn's) Medium is a specific modification of the original F-12 formulation. It was developed to support the growth of primary human hepatocytes, along with certain rat and chicken liver cells, in a reduced-serum environment. Beyond the zinc, putrescine, hypoxanthine, and thymidine already characteristic of F-12, the Kaighn's modification carries higher levels of amino acids and sodium pyruvate, allowing it to be paired with very low levels of serum or defined components for these liver-derived cell types. With appropriate cell-specific supplementation, F-12K also supports laboratory models such as A549, PC-3, and CHO-K1.[7,8,10]
Like the parent F-12 formulation, F-12K does not contain proteins or growth factors on its own, so it is commonly supplemented with growth factors and Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS); the FBS concentration is optimized per cell line. The medium relies on a sodium bicarbonate buffer system and requires a 5-10% CO2 environment to maintain physiological pH.
Why a 2X (Double-Strength) Format
Ham's F-12K Nutrient Mixture, Kaighn's Modification, 2X, is a double-strength preparation of the corresponding 1X F-12K formulation, intended for dilution during preparation of customized in vitro research culture systems. Its intended function is to compensate for dilution when an equal volume of a compatible aqueous component is incorporated, following the general concentrated-medium principle used in semisolid culture preparation.[9] Provided the other solution contributes none of the F-12K ingredients and the combined volumes are additive, equal volumes of 2X medium and that solution yield those basal ingredients at 1X: glucose 2,520 mg/L to 1,260 mg/L, L-glutamine 584 mg/L to 292 mg/L, sodium pyruvate 440 mg/L to 220 mg/L, and sodium bicarbonate 5,000 mg/L to 2,500 mg/L. This describes dilution arithmetic — not evidence that a particular 2X F-12K product is stable or suitable for a given cell line.
Important distinction: Kaighn's modification is a distinct basal formulation, not a synonym for double-strength F-12. Its normal working concentration is still designated 1X.
Origins & Development
Richard G. Ham developed the F-series of nutrient mixtures at the University of Colorado to solve the serum-free cloning problem: growing a single mammalian cell into a viable clone without relying on high serum concentrations or feeder cells. Working with the near-diploid Chinese hamster (CHO) cell line established by Theodore T. Puck in 1957, Ham used single-cell plating efficiency — the fraction of individually plated cells that formed visible colonies — as his quantitative benchmark for each successive formulation.
Ham's F-10, published in 1963 in Experimental Cell Research, enabled consistent single-cell cloning of Chinese hamster cells under low-serum conditions and serum-free growth in the presence of defined proteins such as serum albumin and fetuin.[1] It was among the first defined media to incorporate both copper and zinc as trace elements alongside iron, and it introduced hypoxanthine, thymidine, and lipoic acid to the basal formulation.
Ham's F-12, published in 1965 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was developed directly from F-10 to achieve true protein-free clonal growth of CHO cells.[2] The defining change was an approximately 30-fold increase in zinc sulfate content, alongside the addition of putrescine (a polyamine precursor) and linoleic acid (an essential fatty acid), together with substantial increases to several amino acids and two vitamins (choline and myo-inositol). For the first time, Ham demonstrated that single CHO cells could proliferate into clones in a fully chemically defined, protein-free medium.
F-12 subsequently became a medium of choice for myeloma and hybridoma cloning, primary rat hepatocytes, rat prostate epithelial cells, and clonal toxicity assays, and it formed the base of the widely used DMEM/F-12 hybrid medium. It was also the starting formulation from which Ham and colleagues derived the MCDB series of media for specific primary cell types.[3,4] The Kaighn's (F-12K) modification carries this lineage forward, adapting the F-12 platform specifically for hepatocyte and liver-cell applications.
The Ham's F-12 Family Tree
- Ham's F-10 (1963) — R.G. Ham's improved nutrient solution for diploid Chinese hamster and human diploid cell lines, part of a larger sequentially numbered "F" series developed by Ham in the late 1950s-1960s.
- Ham's F-12 (1965) — developed directly from F-10, retaining the same qualitative amino acid and vitamin profile but with an approximately 30-fold higher zinc sulfate level plus added putrescine and linoleic acid, enabling protein-free clonal growth of CHO cells.
- Ham's F-12K (Kaighn's) Medium — the modification offered here (as a 2X concentrate), adapting the F-12 platform specifically to support primary human hepatocytes and certain rat and chicken liver cells in a reduced-serum environment, with elevated amino acid and sodium pyruvate levels.
- DMEM/F-12 hybrid — a downstream 1:1 combination of DMEM and F-12 that pairs DMEM's higher amino acid and glucose content with F-12's trace elements, lipids, and low osmolality; one of the most widely used media in serum-free and stem cell culture.
- MCDB series — F-12 also served as the starting formulation from which Ham and colleagues derived the MCDB family of media for specific primary cell types.
Composition
Ham's F-12K (Kaighn's) Medium is a hepatocyte-oriented modification of the standard Ham's F-12 nutrient mixture. The first tables list the full F-12K [2X] composition from the 2X product page; the 1X column is each value halved, since the product page states that values are halved after 1:1 dilution. The tables that follow present the source-verified composition of the parent F-12 formulation (standard nutrient mixture, with L-glutamine, without sodium bicarbonate) at 1X for reference.
| Concentration | 2X (double strength); 1X after 1:1 mixing |
| D-Glucose | 2,520 mg/L at 2X (1,260 mg/L at 1X) |
| L-Glutamine | 584 mg/L at 2X |
| Sodium Pyruvate | 440 mg/L at 2X |
| Buffer | NaHCO3 5,000 mg/L at 2X; no HEPES |
| Phenol Red | 6 mg/L at 2X |
| Appearance | Red |
F-12K (Kaighn's) [2X] — Inorganic Salts
| Salt | CAS No. | 2X as supplied (mg/L) | 1X after 1:1 mixing (mg/L) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calcium chloride anhydrous | 10043-52-4 | 204.000 | 102.000 |
| Copper sulfate pentahydrate | 7758-99-8 | 0.0050 | 0.0025 |
| Iron sulfate heptahydrate | 7782-63-0 | 1.668 | 0.834 |
| Magnesium chloride anhydrous | 7786-30-3 | 99.400 | 49.700 |
| Magnesium sulfate | 7487-88-9 | 384.000 | 192.000 |
| Potassium chloride | 7447-40-7 | 570.000 | 285.000 |
| Sodium bicarbonate | 144-55-8 | 5000.000 | 2500.000 |
| Sodium chloride | 7647-14-5 | 15060.000 | 7530.000 |
| Dibasic sodium phosphate anhydrous | 7558-79-4 | 231.000 | 115.500 |
| Sodium dihydrogen phosphate monobasic anhydrous | 7558-80-7 | 118.000 | 59.000 |
| Zinc sulfate heptahydrate | 7446-20-0 | 0.288 | 0.144 |
F-12K (Kaighn's) [2X] — Amino Acids
| Amino Acid | CAS No. | 2X as supplied (mg/L) | 1X after 1:1 mixing (mg/L) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glycine | 56-40-6 | 30.000 | 15.000 |
| L-Alanine | 56-41-7 | 36.000 | 18.000 |
| L-Arginine hydrochloride | 1119-34-2 | 844.000 | 422.000 |
| L-Asparagine monohydrate | 5794-13-8 | 60.040 | 30.020 |
| L-Aspartic acid | 56-84-8 | 53.200 | 26.600 |
| L-Cysteine hydrochloride monohydrate | 7048-04-6 | 140.480 | 70.240 |
| L-Glutamic acid | 56-86-0 | 58.800 | 29.400 |
| L-Glutamine | 56-85-9 | 584.000 | 292.000 |
| L-Histidine hydrochloride monohydrate | 5934-29-2 | 84.000 | 42.000 |
| L-Isoleucine | 73-32-5 | 15.760 | 7.880 |
| L-Leucine | 61-90-5 | 52.400 | 26.200 |
| L-Lysine hydrochloride | 657-27-2 | 146.000 | 73.000 |
| L-Methionine | 63-68-3 | 17.920 | 8.960 |
| L-Phenylalanine | 63-91-2 | 19.840 | 9.920 |
| L-Proline | 147-85-3 | 138.000 | 69.000 |
| L-Serine | 56-45-1 | 42.000 | 21.000 |
| L-Threonine | 72-19-5 | 47.600 | 23.800 |
| L-Tryptophan | 73-22-3 | 8.160 | 4.080 |
| L-Tyrosine disodium salt dihydrate | 122666-87-4 | 31.120 | 15.560 |
| L-Valine | 72-18-4 | 46.800 | 23.400 |
F-12K (Kaighn's) [2X] — Vitamins
| Vitamin | CAS No. | 2X as supplied (mg/L) | 1X after 1:1 mixing (mg/L) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biotin | 58-85-5 | 0.146 | 0.073 |
| Choline chloride | 67-48-1 | 27.92 | 13.960 |
| D-Ca-Pantothenate | 137-08-6 | 0.960 | 0.480 |
| Folic acid | 59-30-3 | 2.640 | 1.320 |
| Nicotinamide | 98-92-0 | 0.074 | 0.037 |
| Pyridoxine hydrochloride | 58-56-0 | 0.124 | 0.062 |
| Riboflavin | 83-88-5 | 0.076 | 0.038 |
| Thiamine hydrochloride | 67-03-8 | 0.680 | 0.340 |
| Vitamin B12 | 68-19-9 | 2.720 | 1.360 |
| i-Inositol | 87-89-8 | 36.000 | 18.000 |
F-12K (Kaighn's) [2X] — Other Components
| Component | CAS No. | 2X as supplied (mg/L) | 1X after 1:1 mixing (mg/L) |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-Glucose | 50-99-7 | 2520.000 | 1260.000 |
| Hypoxanthine sodium | 45738-97-4 | 9.540 | 4.770 |
| Lipoic acid | 1077-28-7 | 0.420 | 0.210 |
| Phenol Red | 34487-61-1 | 6.000 | 3.000 |
| Putrescine dihydrochloride | 333-93-7 | 0.644 | 0.322 |
| Sodium pyruvate | 113-24-6 | 440.000 | 220.000 |
| Thymidine | 50-89-5 | 1.460 | 0.730 |
Ham's F-12 (Parent Formulation, 1X) — Inorganic Salts
| Salt | mg/L |
|---|---|
| Calcium chloride dihydrate (CaCl2 · 2H2O) | 44.100 |
| Copper sulfate pentahydrate (CuSO4 · 5H2O) | 0.0025 |
| Ferrous sulfate heptahydrate (FeSO4 · 7H2O) | 0.834 |
| Magnesium chloride anhydrous (MgCl2) | 57.650 |
| Potassium chloride (KCl) | 223.600 |
| Sodium chloride (NaCl) | 7599.000 |
| Sodium phosphate dibasic anhydrous (Na2HPO4) | 142.040 |
| Zinc sulfate heptahydrate (ZnSO4 · 7H2O) | 0.863 |
Ham's F-12 (Parent Formulation, 1X) — Amino Acids
| Amino Acid | mg/L |
|---|---|
| Glycine | 7.500 |
| L-Alanine | 8.910 |
| L-Arginine hydrochloride | 210.700 |
| L-Asparagine monohydrate | 15.010 |
| L-Aspartic acid | 13.300 |
| L-Cysteine hydrochloride monohydrate | 35.120 |
| L-Glutamic acid | 14.700 |
| L-Glutamine | 146.000 |
| L-Histidine hydrochloride monohydrate | 20.960 |
| L-Isoleucine | 3.940 |
| L-Leucine | 13.100 |
| L-Lysine hydrochloride | 36.500 |
| L-Methionine | 4.480 |
| L-Phenylalanine | 4.960 |
| L-Proline | 34.500 |
| L-Serine | 10.500 |
| L-Threonine | 11.900 |
| L-Tryptophan | 2.040 |
| L-Tyrosine disodium salt dihydrate | 7.810 |
| L-Valine | 11.700 |
Ham's F-12 (Parent Formulation, 1X) — Vitamins
| Vitamin | mg/L |
|---|---|
| Biotin | 0.0073 |
| Choline chloride | 13.960 |
| D-Ca-Pantothenate | 0.480 |
| Folic acid | 1.320 |
| Nicotinamide | 0.037 |
| Pyridoxine hydrochloride | 0.062 |
| Riboflavin | 0.038 |
| Thiamine hydrochloride | 0.340 |
| Vitamin B12 | 1.360 |
| myo-Inositol | 18.000 |
Ham's F-12 (Parent Formulation, 1X) — Other Components
| Component | mg/L |
|---|---|
| D-Glucose (standard F-12) | 1801.600 |
| Hypoxanthine sodium salt | 4.770 |
| Linoleic acid | 0.084 |
| Lipoic acid | 0.210 |
| Phenol red sodium salt | 1.240 |
| Putrescine dihydrochloride | 0.161 |
| Sodium pyruvate | 110.100 |
| Thymidine | 0.730 |
| Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) | 1176.000 |
Media Lineage Comparison
How the F-10 to F-12 lineage that underlies F-12K compares with DMEM (high glucose), a widely used related basal medium. Values in this table refer to 1X working strength.
| Feature | Ham's F-10 | Ham's F-12 (F-12K parent) | DMEM (high glucose) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Developer & year | R.G. Ham, 1963 | R.G. Ham, 1965 | Dulbecco & Freeman, 1959 |
| Parent formulation | Earlier "F" series | F-10 (direct) | BME |
| Trace metals (Cu, Zn, Fe) | Cu + Zn + Fe | Cu + Zn + Fe | Fe only (ferric nitrate) |
| Hypoxanthine | Yes, 4.08 mg/L | Yes, 4.77 mg/L | No |
| Thymidine | Yes, 0.73 mg/L | Yes, 0.73 mg/L | No |
| Lipoic acid | Yes, 0.21 mg/L | Yes, 0.21 mg/L | No |
| Putrescine | No | Yes, 0.161 mg/L | No |
| Linoleic acid | No | Yes, 0.084 mg/L | No |
| Biotin | Yes, 0.024 mg/L | Yes, 0.0073 mg/L | No |
| Vitamin B12 | Yes, 1.36 mg/L | Yes, 1.36 mg/L | No |
| Vitamin B6 form | Pyridoxine HCl | Pyridoxine HCl | Pyridoxine HCl (Gibco) |
| myo-Inositol | 0.541 mg/L | 18.0 mg/L | Present (lower) |
| Glucose (standard mixture) | 1100 mg/L (~6.1 mM) | 1801.6 mg/L (~10 mM) | 4500 mg/L (25 mM) |
| Sodium pyruvate | 110 mg/L | 110 mg/L | 110 mg/L (optional) |
| NaHCO3 | 1200 mg/L | 1176 mg/L | 3700 mg/L |
| Serum-free design | Partial (with proteins) | Full (protein-free CHO) | No |
| Osmolality (with NaHCO3) | 300-340 mOsm/kg | 260-300 mOsm/kg | ~320-355 mOsm/kg |
Ham's F-12K (Kaighn's) Medium: 1X vs. 2X
| Feature | Ham's F-12K, 1X | Ham's F-12K, 2X |
|---|---|---|
| Supplied concentration | 1X (ready to use) | 2X (double strength) |
| Preparation before use | None | Mix with an equal volume of a compatible solution or matrix (for example aqueous agar, agarose, or a hydrogel) for a final 1X medium |
| Component concentrations as supplied | 1X F-12K formulation | Twice the 1X value (2X column of the F-12K tables), before dilution |
| Composition at working strength | Standard F-12K formulation | Standard F-12K formulation, after 1:1 dilution |
| Glucose | 1260.00 mg/L | 2,520 mg/L (1,260 mg/L after 1:1 dilution) |
| Sodium bicarbonate | 2,500 mg/L | 5,000 mg/L (2,500 mg/L after 1:1 dilution) |
| Catalog variants | 1 | 1 |
| Catalog number suffix | ...1X | ...2X (e.g., DCP-H12K2X) |
| Filtration | Quadruple-stage, 0.04 micron final | Quadruple-stage, 0.04 micron final |
| Sizes | 500 mL / 1000 mL | 500 mL |
| Storage | 2-8°C, away from bright light | 2-8°C, away from bright light; do not freeze |
Why FluxMPS™
Quadruple-Stage 0.04 Micron Filtration
Purified finer than any ready-to-use cell culture media currently available, removing particulates and protein aggregates before they reach the chip.
Engineered for Microfluidic Flow
Formulated for Organ-on-Chip (OoC), Tissue-on-Chip (ToC), and Lab-on-Chip (LoC) platforms, where the medium is itself part of the instrument.
Optical Clarity
Supports real-time imaging and integrated biosensing across long-duration culture and perfusion studies.
Hepatocyte-Optimized Formulation
The Kaighn's modification is purpose-built for primary human hepatocytes and rat/chicken liver cells under reduced-serum conditions.
Fully Customizable
Standard 2X concentration and 2,520 mg/L glucose (1,260 mg/L at 1X) can be adjusted, along with chemical additions, proteins, supplements, and pH, on request.
Regulatory-Aligned Foundation
Formulated to support FDA-recognized physiological modeling standards for drug discovery, toxicology screening, and translational research.
Quadruple-Stage Filtration
Every FluxMPS™ formulation, including Ham's F-12K (Kaighn's) Medium [2X], passes through a four-stage filtration architecture before reaching your platform: two 0.1 micron pre-filtration stages followed by two 0.04 micron final filtration stages.
-
01
Pre-Filtration Stage 1 0.1 µm
Removes larger particulates and aggregates from the formulated medium.
-
02
Pre-Filtration Stage 2 0.1 µm
A second 0.1 micron pass further reduces particulate and aggregate load ahead of the final 0.04 micron stage.
-
03
Final Filtration Stage 1 0.04 µm
Fine filtration engineered for microfluidic channel compatibility.
-
04
Final Filtration Stage 2 0.04 µm
A second 0.04 micron pass for the optical clarity and particulate control that OoC/ToC/LoC platforms require.
Filtration Performance
![FluxMPS™ Ham's F-12K (Kaighn's) Medium [2X] Family quadruple-stage filtration system diagram ? two 0.1 micron pre-filtration stages followed by two 0.04 micron final filtration stages, engineered for organ-on-a-chip (OoC), tissue-on-a-chip (ToC), and lab-on-a-chip microfluidic cell culture media applications by Diagnocine.](https://diagnocine.com/Content/Upload/BlogImages/FluxMPS-Quadruple-stage-filtration-system-Cell-Culture-Media-Diagnocine.jpg "FluxMPS™ Quadruple-Stage Filtration System ? Cell Culture Media for Microfluidic & Organ-on-a-Chip Applications | Diagnocine")
Validated Cell Lines & Applications
CHO Cells
Ham's F-12's founding application: clonal, protein-free growth of Chinese Hamster Ovary cells.
Primary Human Hepatocytes
The Kaighn's modification's specific design target, supported in a reduced-serum environment.
Cancer Cell Lines
F-12-based formulations are widely used across a range of cancer cell culture applications.
Rat & Chicken Liver Cells
Certain rat and chicken liver cell types are supported by the F-12K modification.
Chicken Embryonic Cells
An established application of the Ham's F-12 nutrient mixture.
Myeloma & Hybridoma Cells
F-12 is a medium of choice for cloning myeloma and hybridoma cells, widely used in monoclonal antibody work.
Ham's F-12K [2X] — Research Applications
The 2X product page lists selected hepatocyte culture research, epithelial and cancer-cell biology, CHO-K1 laboratory cell culture, cell-metabolism and nutrient-response studies, reduced-serum or defined-supplement development, and semisolid or hydrogel-medium development.
A549 & PC-3 Models
A widely used basal medium for A549 lung and PC-3 prostate carcinoma lines when supplemented with serum.[7,8]
CHO-K1 Culture
An enriched F-12 base for CHO-K1 and other Chinese hamster ovary laboratory cell culture.[2,10]
Hepatocyte & Metabolism Studies
Supports selected hepatocyte cultures and cell-metabolism and nutrient-response studies with appropriate supplementation.
Reduced-Serum & Semisolid Media
A double-strength base for reduced-serum or defined-supplement development and for semisolid or hydrogel media.[9]
Organ-on-a-Chip & MPS
Microchannel-safe medium for perfused organ-, tissue-, and body-on-a-chip platforms.[13,14,15]
Microscopy & Optical Sensing
Fewer particles mean cleaner fields for colony counting, confocal imaging, and on-chip biosensors.
Scientific Applications
Reduced-Serum Hepatocyte Culture
F-12K allows primary human hepatocytes and liver cells to be cultured with very low levels of serum or defined components.
Single-Cell Clonal Growth
Rooted in Ham's original clonal-growth assay methodology, using single-cell plating efficiency as the quantitative benchmark.
CO2-Buffered Physiological Culture
Sodium bicarbonate buffering requires a 5-10% CO2 environment to maintain physiological pH.
Custom Formulation & FBS Optimization
FBS concentration should be optimized per cell line; custom concentrations, additions, and pH values are available on request.
Frequently Asked Questions
Verified References
- Ham, R.G. (1963). An improved nutrient solution for diploid Chinese hamster and human cell lines. Experimental Cell Research, 29: 515-526. PMID: 13952250. DOI: 10.1016/S0014-4827(63)80014-2.
- Ham, R.G. (1965). Clonal growth of mammalian cells in a chemically defined, synthetic medium. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 53(2): 288-293. PMID: 14283412. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.53.2.288.
- Ham, R.G. & McKeehan, W.L. (1979). Media and growth requirements. Methods in Enzymology, 58: 44-93. DOI: 10.1016/S0076-6879(79)58127-2.
- Barnes, D. & Sato, G. (1980). Serum-free cell culture: a unifying approach. Cell, 22(3): 649-655. DOI: 10.1016/0092-8674(80)90540-1.
- McKeehan, W.L., Hamilton, W.G. & Ham, R.G. (1976). Selenium is an essential trace nutrient for the growth of WI-38 diploid human fibroblasts. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 73(6): 2023-2027. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.73.6.2023.
- Yao, T. & Asayama, Y. (2017). Animal-cell culture media: History, characteristics, and current issues. Reproductive Medicine and Biology, 16(2): 99-117. PMC5661806.
- Kaighn, M.E., Narayan, K.S., Ohnuki, Y., Lechner, J.F. & Jones, L.W. (1979). Establishment and characterization of a human prostatic carcinoma cell line (PC-3). Investigative Urology, 17(1): 16-23.
- Giard, D.J., Aaronson, S.A., Todaro, G.J., et al. (1973). In vitro cultivation of human tumors: establishment of cell lines derived from a series of solid tumors. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 51(5): 1417-1423.
- Borowicz, S., Van Scoyk, M., Avasarala, S., et al. (2014). The soft agar colony formation assay. Journal of Visualized Experiments, (92): e51998. DOI: 10.3791/51998.
- Tjio, J.H. & Puck, T.T. (1958). Genetics of somatic mammalian cells. II. Chromosomal constitution of cells in tissue culture. Journal of Experimental Medicine, 108(2): 259-268. DOI: 10.1084/jem.108.2.259.
- Morton, H.J. (1970). A survey of commercially available tissue culture media. In Vitro, 6(2): 89-108. DOI: 10.1007/BF02616111.
- Berthois, Y., Katzenellenbogen, J.A. & Katzenellenbogen, B.S. (1986). Phenol red in tissue culture media is a weak estrogen: implications concerning the study of estrogen-responsive cells in culture. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 83(8): 2496-2500. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.83.8.2496.
- Bhatia, S.N. & Ingber, D.E. (2014). Microfluidic organs-on-chips. Nature Biotechnology, 32(8): 760-772. DOI: 10.1038/nbt.2989.
- Low, L.A., Mummery, C., Berridge, B.R., Austin, C.P. & Tagle, D.A. (2021). Organs-on-chips: into the next decade. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 20(5): 345-361. DOI: 10.1038/s41573-020-0079-3.
- Leung, C.M., de Haan, P., Ronaldson-Bouchard, K., et al. (2022). A guide to the organ-on-a-chip. Nature Reviews Methods Primers, 2: 33. DOI: 10.1038/s43586-022-00118-6.
- Drexler, H.G. & Uphoff, C.C. (2002). Mycoplasma contamination of cell cultures: incidence, sources, effects, detection, elimination, prevention. Cytotechnology, 39(2): 75-90. DOI: 10.1023/A:1022913015916.
- Halldorsson, S., Lucumi, E., Gómez-Sjöberg, R. & Fleming, R.M.T. (2015). Advantages and challenges of microfluidic cell culture in polydimethylsiloxane devices. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 63: 218-231. DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2014.07.029.
References [1]-[6] are the Ham's F-12K family bibliography; references [7]-[17] are cited on the 2X product page.
FluxMPS™ — Precision Cell Culture Media for Microphysiological Systems
Built for the architecture of the future. Not the flask of the past.
Traditional cell culture media were formulated for static well plates and flasks — environments that tolerate impurities, precipitates, and particle loads that would immediately compromise a microfluidic system. FluxMPS™ was designed from the ground up for Organ-on-Chip (OoC), Tissue-on-Chip (ToC), and Lab-on-Chip (LoC) platforms, where the medium itself is part of the instrument.
Purity That Protects Your Platform
FluxMPS™ is purified to 0.04 microns — finer than any ready-to-use cell culture media currently available. At this level, the microscopic particulates and protein aggregates that silently block micro-channels, disrupt laminar flow, and generate false biological signals are eliminated before the media ever reaches your chip.
The result: your platform stays operational, your data stays clean, and your biology drives the result — not your media.
Engineered for Flow, Not Just Growth
The name FluxMPS™ reflects its core design principle. Every component is optimized for consistent, laminar flow performance across:
- Complex micro-channel geometries
- Capillary-bed and vascular simulations
- Long-term automated perfusion studies running continuously for weeks
Zero-clogging performance is not a feature — it is the baseline specification.
Applications & Performance
| Application | What FluxMPS™ Delivers |
|---|---|
| Microfluidics | Stable shear stress; no channel blockage |
| Metabolic Tracing | Ultra-pure matrix with no contaminant interference |
| Long-term Perfusion | Consistent formulation stability over weeks of continuous flow |
| Organ-on-Chip | Optical clarity for real-time imaging and integrated biosensing |
Regulatory Foundation
FluxMPS™ is formulated to support FDA-recognized physiological modeling standards, providing a validated, reproducible media foundation for drug discovery, toxicology screening, and translational research. When your downstream data needs to stand up to regulatory scrutiny, your upstream media cannot be an afterthought.
The Bottom Line
Microfluidic platforms are precision instruments. They require precision inputs.
FluxMPS™ is the only ready-to-use cell culture medium engineered specifically to meet that standard — protecting your chip, your cells, and your science.
