PurMa™ Chemically Defined Kaighn’s Modification of Ham’s F-12 Medium (CD-Ham’s F-12K)

Description

PurMa™ Chemically Defined Kaighn’s Modification of Ham’s F-12 Medium (CD-Ham’s F-12K)

Product Description

PurMa™ Chemically Defined Kaighn’s Modification of Ham’s F-12 Medium (CD-Ham’s F-12K) is a chemically defined Ham’s F-12K medium. It is  specifically engineered for serum-free mammalian cell culture. Moreover, this formulation is 100% synthetic, FBS-free, and free of undefined animal-derived components. Consequently, this provides a highly controlled environment for in vitro cell growth and advanced research applications. Unlike conventional media, which require ~10% fetal bovine serum (FBS), PurMa™ CD-Ham’s F-12K relies on known quantities of pure chemicals and a proprietary synthetic mixture of growth factors, hormones, and nutrients. More importantly, this eliminates lot-to-lot variability. Compared to using serum, it supports reproducible, scalable experiments that align with regulatory expectations.

Key Features & Benefits

Chemically defined Ham’s F-12K medium
– No FBS and no trace animal-derived components
– 100% synthetic formulation for maximal control

• Serum-free, animal-component–free
  – Reduces biological variability and risk of contamination from serum
  – Facilitates regulatory compliance and documentation
• Enhanced stability with L‑alanyl‑L‑glutamine
  – Uses L‑alanyl‑L‑glutamine instead of unstable L‑glutamine
  – Improved shelf life and reduced degradation by-products
  – Higher buffering capacity, contributing to a more stable pH and lower contamination risk
• Consistent performance
  – Defined composition of amino acids, vitamins, salts, sugars, and synthetic growth factors
  – Supports reproducible cell growth and functional assays
• Flexible for multiple cell types
  – Evidently proven to be suitable for customization of primary  rat and chicken long term culture.
  – Can be adapted to specific mammalian cell lines via supplements or user-defined additives

 

Applications

PurMa™ CD F12K Kaighn’s medium is ideal for:

• Serum-free and animal-component–free mammalian cell culture
• Studies where experimental reproducibility is critical
• Regulatory-sensitive workflows (bioprocess development, preclinical studies, QC labs)
• Mechanistic studies of cellular signaling without confounding serum components
• Protocols requiring precise control over media composition

Gradual Adaptation from FBS-Containing Media

For optimal results, gradually adapt cells from conventional FBS-containing media to PurMa™ chemically defined Ham’s F-12K medium. A stepwise reduction of FBS supports cell survival and stable growth.

Recommended adaptation strategy

1. Set up controls
   • Control 1: Standard growth medium + 10% FBS (no chemically defined medium)
   • Control 2: PurMa™ CD-Ham’s F-12K + 10% FBS (to monitor adaptation vs. standard)
   • Additionally, we recommend adding PurMa™ Antibiotic Mix for preventing contamination.
2. Step wise FBS reduction
   Every 48 hours, fully replace the medium as follows: spin down cells each time, discard the spent medium completely, and resuspend in fresh medium:
   • Step 1: PurMa™ CD-Ham’s F-12K + 10% FBS
   • Step 2 (48 h): PurMa™ CD-Ham’s F-12K + 8% FBS
   • Step 3 (48 h): PurMa™ CD-Ham’s F-12K + 6% FBS
   • Step 4 (48 h): PurMa™ CD-Ham’s F-12K + 4% FBS
   • Step 5 (48 h): PurMa™ CD-Ham’s F-12K + 2% FBS
   • Step 6 (48 h): PurMa™ CD-Ham’s F-12K + 1% FBS
   • Final step (24 h later): PurMa™ CD-Ham’s F-12K with 0% FBS (fully serum-free)
3. Practical notes
   • You do not need an extremely high starting density; ~500,000 cells/mL is not mandatory.
   • Use multiple flasks/plates in parallel, as some cultures may fail or become contaminated during adaptation.
4. Post-adaptation handling
   • Once cells are fully adapted, maintain them exclusively in the same chemically defined Ham’s F-12K medium from the same vendor and formulation, including for freezing and recovery.
   • After adaptation to PurMa™ CD-Ham’s F-12K, expand the culture, prepare multiple plates, and freeze several vials for backup.
   • For the first week after thawing adapted cells, supplement PurMa™ CD-Ham’s F-12K with 10% PurMa™ CD Booster (Cat# P3C10144) to support robust recovery.

Formulation Highlights

The base formulation of PurMa™ CD-Ham’s F-12K (Cat# P3C210108) includes:

• Balanced inorganic salts for osmolarity and ionic strength
• Carbohydrate energy sources (e.g., sugars)
• Defined amino acids, including L‑alanyl‑L‑glutamine as the stable glutamine source
• Vitamins and trace elements
• A proprietary, fully synthetic cocktail of growth factors, hormones, and other nutrients

This composition allows PurMa™ CD-Ham’s F-12K to function as a standalone, chemically defined Ham’s F-12K medium without serum supplementation, while maintaining robust cell growth and viability.

Storage & Handling

• Store according to product label (typically 2–8 °C, protected from light)
• Avoid repeated freeze–thaw cycles if applicable
• Use aseptic technique at all times to minimize the risk of contamination

 

Formulation

The CD-Ham’s F-12K includes  L-Alanine -L glutamine :Base formulation of CD Ham’s F-12K P3C210108

Additionally, CD-Ham’s F-12K contains a proprietary synthetic cocktail of specific growth factors, hormones, and other  nutrients which makes it independent of any serum and animal products. Moreover, for more details about the base media, read  HamF12-MAX 

References

• Primary in vitro antibody responses by purified murine B lymphocytes in serum-free defined medium. Mosier DE. J Immunol. 1981 Oct;127(4):1490-3. PMID: 6792277

 

Learn more: What Is Ham’s F-12K?