FluxMPS™ MCDB 153 Medium without Sodium Bicarbonate: 1X Liquid
FluxMPS™ MCDB 153 Medium without Sodium Bicarbonate: 1X Liquid
FluxMPS™ DCP-M153H-B1X is a Microfluidics Suitable, ultra-filtered MCDB 153 −Bicarbonate +HEPES formulation engineered for serum-free or low-protein culture of Human Epidermal Keratinocytes and related cell models on organ-on-a-chip (OoC) and microphysiological system (MPS) platforms. It is processed through a Quadruple-stage filtration system (0.1 µm ×2 + 0.04 µm ×2), reaching a 0.04 µm final cut-off — five times finer than the 0.22 µm membranes used for conventional filtration — so trace elements are delivered as dissolved ions rather than particulate aggregates. Formulation: [+] 1.081 g/L Glucose, [+] L-Glutamine, [+] Sodium Pyruvate, [+] 28 mM HEPES, [+] Calcium, [+] Magnesium, [+] Phenol Red | [-] Sodium Bicarbonate.
- Trace element formulation — zinc, copper, selenium, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, nickel and tin salts for metalloenzyme support in serum-free culture
- Optimized for Human Epidermal Keratinocytes, CHO cells and Chicken Embryo Fibroblasts — CO2-independent
- 28 mM HEPES (pKa 7.3 at 37°C) provides sole pH buffering with no bicarbonate added — suited to open-top chips and atmospheric platforms
- Quadruple-stage filtration: 0.1 µm Prefiltration I → 0.04 µm Final filtration I → 0.1 µm Prefiltration II → 0.04 µm Final filtration II — Polish
- Endotoxin release specification < 0.05 EU/mL by LAL assay (USP <85>), tested per manufacturing batch
- Ultrapure Type 1 water (18.2 MΩ·cm), manufactured under an ISO 13485:2016 quality management system; final QC at Diagnocine, Totowa NJ
- Sodium bicarbonate not added — a HEPES-only buffer system for reproducible pH control independent of incubator CO2
- pH, glucose concentration, trace element levels and HEPES available on request — contact support@diagnocine.com
- Cell typesHuman Epidermal Keratinocytes, CHO cells
- Glucose1081 mg/L (1.081 g/L)
- HEPES28 mM (pKa 7.3 at 37°C)
- Sodium BicarbonateNone / Not added
- AppearanceRed-colored, clear solution
- pH (USP <791>)7.4
- Osmolality (USP <785>)300 - 340 mOsm/kg H2O
- Endotoxin (USP <85>)< 0.05 EU/mL
- Filtration0.1 µm ×2 + 0.04 µm ×2 (Quadruple-stage)
- Shelf Life12 months from date of manufacture, unopened
Engineered where standard media fails
MCDB media formulated for primary cells carry trace element salts that can form subvisible particulate when filtered at 0.22 µm under typical manufacturing conditions. These particulates can clog microfluidic channels and complicate trace metal dosing in sensitive primary cell models. FluxMPS™ addresses this with four-stage 0.04 µm filtration and a < 0.05 EU/mL endotoxin release specification.
Particle-free trace element delivery
0.04 µm final filtration is intended to leave trace metal salts fully dissolved, reducing the risk of aggregate deposition in chip channels or culture vessels.
Serum-free primary cell support
The trace element composition supports metalloenzyme activity (SOD, GPx, carbonic anhydrase) relevant to primary cell survival and function without serum supplementation.
Ultrapure-grade water
Ultrapure Type 1 water (18.2 MΩ·cm) supports trace-metal and organic-carbon control during formulation of a trace-element-containing medium.
Batch-tested endotoxin control
Every manufacturing batch is tested by LAL assay against a < 0.05 EU/mL release specification (USP <85>) before it is released for shipment.
HEPES pH stability
HEPES (28 mM, pKa 7.3 at 37°C) provides sole pH buffering in a formulation with no added sodium bicarbonate, for use where CO2 control is impractical.
Customization on demand
pH, glucose, trace element concentrations, HEPES, and growth-factor co-formulations available on request. Contact support@diagnocine.com.
Quadruple-stage filtration system
Four filtration passes — run as two dedicated prefilter-and-final-filter pairs — reach a final 0.04 µm polish. The train is not a single descending cascade: each 0.04 µm final filter has its own dedicated 0.1 µm prefilter protecting it, giving full redundancy for a Sterile-class product.
-
1
0.1 µm Prefiltration I
Removes large particulate and trace metal salt aggregates; protects the first 0.04 µm cartridge from fouling.
-
2
0.04 µm Final filtration I
First 0.04 µm pass; retains sub-micron particulate and mycoplasma-scale organisms that a 0.22 µm filter would pass.
-
3
0.1 µm Prefiltration II
Second dedicated prefilter, protecting the second 0.04 µm cartridge.
-
4
0.04 µm Final filtration II — Polish
Ultimate polishing filter ahead of aseptic fill and finish.
Filtration architecture vs. conventional 0.22 µm media
FluxMPS™ DCP-M153H-B1X runs a validated four-pass, 0.04 µm final-cut-off train, in contrast to the single 0.22 µm sterile-filtration pass typical of conventional MCDB 153 media.
© Diagnocine® — DCP-M153H-B1X
Specialized cell models & OoC applications
FluxMPS™ DCP-M153H-B1X is formulated for Human Epidermal Keratinocytes, CHO cells and Chicken Embryo Fibroblasts in low-protein or serum-free, CO2-independent conditions. The 0.04 µm final filtration is intended to reduce the risk of trace metal particulate fouling in microfluidic chip architectures.
Automated Bioreactors & Robotics
An optional 0.01 µm (10 nm) ultra nano-filtered MPS Grade variant of this formulation is available for automated bioreactor perfusion, where sub-0.04 µm particulate can accumulate in valves and sensors over long perfusion runs. This is a distinct, separately ordered product line from the Microfluidics Suitable medium described on this page.
- Extended particulate control: 0.01 µm filtration targets sub-0.04 µm colloidal material below standard QC detection
- Valve & sensor protection: reduces micro-fouling risk from trace element aggregates in automated systems
- Extended perfusion stability: intended for consistent trace element delivery over weeks-long primary cell culture
Inquiry Required: Contact support@diagnocine.com for the 0.01 µm MPS Grade variant.
Organ-on-a-Chip & MPS
0.04 µm final filtration is intended to reduce microchannel clogging risk from trace element aggregates in chip channels.
Skin-on-Chip
FluxMPS™ MCDB 153 −Bicarbonate +HEPES supports serum-free or low-protein skin-on-chip models requiring stable, CO2-independent pH control.
Open-Top Epidermal OoC
HEPES-only buffering maintains pH at the air-liquid interface where atmospheric CO2 is variable, relevant to open-top epidermal OoC configurations.
CO2-Independent CHO Culture
Bicarbonate-free, HEPES-buffered formulation is intended for CHO cell culture on platforms without controlled CO2 atmosphere.
Keratinocyte Barrier Assays
Formulated for reproducible epidermal differentiation and barrier-formation assays using primary Human Epidermal Keratinocytes.
Trace Element & Metalloenzyme Research
Defined zinc, copper, selenium and manganese content supports studies of metalloenzyme activity and antioxidant pathways in serum-free primary cell models.
Analytical release specifications
Every lot released against the full specification matrix below. Certificate of Analysis: support@diagnocine.com.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Formulation | [+] 1.081 g/L Glucose, [+] L-Glutamine, [+] Sodium Pyruvate, [+] 28 mM HEPES, [+] Calcium, [+] Magnesium, [+] Phenol Red | [-] Sodium Bicarbonate |
| Appearance | Red-colored, clear solution |
| Glucose | 1081 mg/L (1.081 g/L) |
| HEPES | 28 mM (pKa 7.3 at 37°C) |
| L-Glutamine | 877.2 mg/L |
| Sodium Pyruvate | 55.0 mg/L |
| pH USP <791> | 7.4 |
| Osmolality USP <785> | 300 - 340 mOsm/kg H2O |
| Total ingredients | 54 components |
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Endotoxin USP <85> BET | < 0.05 EU/mL (batch release specification) |
| Sterility USP <71> | No growth / 14 days |
| Mycoplasma | 0.1 µm mycoplasma-retentive filtration (not tested per lot) |
| Particulate ≥10 µm USP <788> | NMT 25/mL |
| Particulate ≥25 µm USP <788> | NMT 3/mL |
| Water purity | Ultrapure Type 1, 18.2 MΩ·cm |
| Manufacturing std. | ISO 13485:2016 |
| Fill environment | ISO Class 5 (Class 100) aseptic fill |
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Storage temperature | 2 - 8°C, away from light |
| Freeze-thaw | Do not freeze |
| Shelf life | 12 months from date of manufacture, unopened |
| Shipping condition | Cold pack |
| CO2 requirement | CO2-independent — 28 mM HEPES maintains pH without gas supplementation |
| Available pack sizes | 500 mL, 1000 mL |
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Raw material grade | Reagent / cell culture grade |
| Traceability | Full lot traceability per ISO 13485 |
| Manufacturing QMS ISO | ISO 13485:2016 certified |
| UNSPSC | 41116155 — Molecular biology and cell culture growth media (UNv260801) |
| Regulatory alignment | 21 CFR Part 820 (QMSR) aligned |
| Production method | Micro-batch, per-lot QC release |
| Intended use | Research Use Only (RUO) |
Full composition (mg/L)
MCDB 153 −Bicarbonate +HEPES: 54 components across four formulation categories, verified per lot with CAS numbers for raw-material traceability. Contains trace elements for metalloenzyme support and antioxidant activity. HEPES (28 mM, approx. 6600 mg/L) is listed under OTHERS.
| Component | CAS Number | mg/L |
|---|---|---|
| INORGANIC SALTS | ||
| Ammonium metavanadate | 7803-55-6 | 0.000585 |
| Calcium chloride dihydrate | 10035-04-8 | 4.411 |
| Cupric sulfate pentahydrate | 7758-99-8 | 0.00275 |
| Disodium hydrogen phosphate anhydrous | 7558-79-4 | 284.088 |
| Ferrous sulfate heptahydrate | 7782-63-0 | 1.390 |
| Magnesium chloride hexahydrate | 7791-18-6 | 122.000 |
| Manganese sulfate | 7785-87-7 | 0.000151 |
| Molybdic acid ammonium tetrahydrate | 12054-85-2 | 0.00124 |
| Nickel chloride | 7718-54-9 | 0.00012 |
| Potassium chloride | 7447-40-7 | 111.830 |
| Sodium acetate anhydrous | 127-09-3 | 301.530 |
| Sodium chloride | 7647-14-5 | 7599.000 |
| Stannous chloride monohydrate | 10025-69-1 | 0.000113 |
| Sodium metasilicate nonahydrate | 13517-24-3 | 0.1421 |
| Sodium selenite | 10102-18-8 | 0.0038 |
| Zinc sulfate heptahydrate | 7446-20-0 | 0.144 |
| Component | CAS Number | mg/L |
|---|---|---|
| AMINO ACIDS | ||
| Glycine | 56-40-6 | 7.510 |
| L-Alanine | 56-41-7 | 8.910 |
| L-Arginine hydrochloride | 1119-34-2 | 210.700 |
| L-Asparagine monohydrate | 5794-13-8 | 15.000 |
| L-Aspartic acid | 56-84-8 | 3.990 |
| L-Cysteine hydrochloride monohydrate | 7048-04-6 | 42.040 |
| L-Glutamic acid | 56-86-0 | 14.710 |
| L-Glutamine | 56-85-9 | 877.200 |
| L-Histidine hydrochloride monohydrate | 5934-29-2 | 16.770 |
| L-Isoleucine | 73-32-5 | 1.968 |
| L-Leucine | 61-90-5 | 65.600 |
| L-Lysine hydrochloride | 657-27-2 | 18.270 |
| L-Methionine | 63-68-3 | 4.480 |
| L-Phenylalanine | 63-91-2 | 4.960 |
| L-Proline | 147-85-3 | 34.530 |
| L-Serine | 56-45-1 | 63.060 |
| L-Threonine | 72-19-5 | 11.910 |
| L-Tryptophan | 73-22-3 | 3.060 |
| L-Tyrosine disodium salt dihydrate | 69847-15-0 | 3.410 |
| L-Valine | 72-18-4 | 35.130 |
| Component | CAS Number | mg/L |
|---|---|---|
| VITAMINS | ||
| Choline chloride | 67-48-1 | 13.960 |
| D-Biotin | 58-85-5 | 0.0146 |
| D-Pantothenic acid (hemicalcium) | 137-08-6 | 0.238 |
| Folic acid | 59-30-3 | 0.790 |
| Niacinamide | 98-92-0 | 0.03663 |
| Pyridoxine hydrochloride | 58-56-0 | 0.06171 |
| Riboflavin | 83-88-5 | 0.0376 |
| Thiamine hydrochloride | 67-03-8 | 0.337 |
| Vitamin B12 | 68-19-9 | 0.407 |
| OTHERS | ||
| myo-Inositol | 87-89-8 | 18.020 |
| Adenine hydrochloride | 2922-28-3 | 30.880 |
| D-Glucose | 50-99-7 | 1081.000 |
| HEPES | 7365-45-9 | 6600.000 |
| Phenol red sodium salt | 34487-61-1 | 1.242 |
| Putrescine dihydrochloride | 333-93-7 | 0.161 |
| Sodium pyruvate | 113-24-6 | 55.00 |
| Thioctic acid | 1077-28-7 | 0.206 |
| Thymidine | 50-89-5 | 0.727 |
Manufacturing & compliance
Every FluxMPS™ product is manufactured and released under a multi-layer quality system, with particular attention to trace element dissolution and particulate control during MCDB formulation.
ISO 13485:2016 Quality Management
Manufactured under an ISO 13485:2016-certified quality management system. Final QA at the Diagnocine R&D Center, Totowa, NJ, USA.
Ultrapure Type 1 Water
18.2 MΩ·cm Type 1 water used throughout, supporting trace-metal and organic-carbon control for a trace-element-containing formulation.
ISO Class 5 Fill & Finish
Aseptic fill in validated ISO Class 5 (Class 100) laminar-flow workstations.
Micro-Batch Precision
Small-batch production with per-lot traceability; a Certificate of Analysis is issued for every batch.
Endotoxin — USP <85> BET
LAL assay; assay sensitivity 0.005 EU/mL; batch release specification < 0.05 EU/mL.
Particulate — USP <788> Method 1
Light obscuration: NMT 25/mL (≥10 µm), NMT 3/mL (≥25 µm).
Osmolality — USP <785>
Target: 300 - 340 mOsm/kg H2O.
Documentation & CoA
Full CoA with raw-material traceability available for every lot on request.
- Endotoxin — LAL assay, USP <85> Bacterial Endotoxins Test; assay sensitivity 0.005 EU/mL; release specification < 0.05 EU/mL
- pH, osmolality, conductivity, appearance and clarity
- Sterility
How DCP-M153H-B1X compares
FluxMPS™ DCP-M153H-B1X vs. conventional 0.22 µm-filtered MCDB 153 −Bicarbonate +HEPES formulations.
| Parameter | DCP-M153H-B1X (FluxMPS™) | Conventional MCDB 153 −Bicarbonate +HEPES (0.22 µm filtered) | Standard Alt. MCDB (0.22 µm filtered) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade | Microfluidics Suitable (0.04 µm final cut-off) | Standard grade (0.22 µm filtered) | Standard grade (0.22 µm filtered) |
| MCDB 153 without sodium bicarbonate, HEPES-buffered, CO2-independent base | check_circle Yes | cancel No | cancel No |
| Final filtration pore size | 0.04 µm | 0.22 µm | 0.22 µm |
| Number of filtration passes | 4 (Quadruple-stage) | 1 | 1 |
| Mycoplasma-retentive filtration | check_circle Yes (0.1 µm) | cancel No | cancel No |
| Endotoxin (release specification) | FluxMPS™ — < 0.05 EU/mL | Corning classical liquid media — < 0.25 EU/mL Sigma-Aldrich DMEM complete medium — ≤ 2 EU/mL Gibco classical DMEM — Not specified (recorded per lot) |
|
| USP <788> particulate tested | check_circle Yes | cancel No | cancel No |
| Water quality | Ultrapure Type 1, 18.2 MΩ·cm | Purified water | Purified water |
| Manufacturing QMS | ISO 13485:2016 | ISO 9001 or none | ISO 9001 or none |
| Microfluidic channel compatibility | check_circle Microfluidics Suitable | cancel Higher clogging risk | cancel Higher clogging risk |
| Custom formulation | check_circle Available | cancel Fixed | cancel Fixed |
Comparison figures from published supplier specifications, accessed 2 September 2026. Suppliers that publish no numeric endotoxin specification are shown as "Not specified".
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about FluxMPS™ DCP-M153H-B1X MCDB 153 −Bicarbonate +HEPES.
Supporting literature
Key publications relevant to MCDB 153-based keratinocyte culture, trace element supplementation, and organ-on-a-chip applications.
- Ham RG, McKeehan WL. Media and growth requirements. Methods Enzymol. 1979;58:44-93. doi:10.1016/S0076-6879(79)58127-6
- Boyce ST, Ham RG. Calcium-regulated differentiation of normal human epidermal keratinocytes in chemically defined clonal culture and serum-free serial culture. J Invest Dermatol. 1983;81:33s-40s. doi:10.1111/1523-1747.ep12540422
- Bhatia SN, Ingber DE. Microfluidic organs-on-chips. Nat Biotechnol. 2014;32:760-772. doi:10.1038/nbt.2989
- Ataç B, et al. Skin and hair on-a-chip: in vitro skin models versus ex vivo tissue maintenance with dynamic perfusion. Lab Chip. 2013;13:3555-3561. doi:10.1039/c3lc50227a
- Wagner I, et al. A dynamic multi-organ-chip for long-term cultivation and substance testing proven by 3D human liver and skin tissue co-culture. Lab Chip. 2013;13:3538-3547. doi:10.1039/c3lc50234a
- Prasad S, et al. Zinc, copper and antioxidant enzyme function in serum-free primary cell culture. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2019;53:11-19. doi:10.1016/j.jtemb.2019.01.010
- Sung JH, et al. Microfabricated mammalian organ systems and their integration into models of whole animals and humans. Lab Chip. 2013;13:1201-1212. doi:10.1039/c3lc41017j
- Novak R, et al. Robotic fluidic coupling and interrogation of multiple vascularized organ chips. Nat Biomed Eng. 2020;4:407-420. doi:10.1038/s41551-019-0497-x
