PurMa™ Kaighn’s Modification of Ham’s F-12-MAX (Ham’s F-12K-MAX)

Description

PurMa™ Kaighn’s Modification of Ham’s F-12-MAX (Ham’s F-12K-MAX)

Product Description

Ham’s F-12K L‑Alanyl‑L‑Glutamine (F‑12K‑MAX) significantly enhances cell culture performance by offering superior stability compared to free L‑glutamine, which extends shelf life and mitigates decomposition. Its slower release profile effectively reduces ammonia accumulation, fostering higher cell viability, particularly in sensitive primary cell lines. Additionally, the formulation provides enhanced buffering capacity, ensuring pH stability amidst routine culture disturbances. These attributes make Ham’s F-12K L‑Alanyl‑L‑Glutamine an invaluable resource for optimizing the growth conditions of primary hepatocytes, oocytes, and various other cell lines.

Key benefits of Ham’s F‑12K L‑Alanyl‑L‑Glutamine (F‑12K‑MAX)

• Stability and shelf life: Ham’s F-12K L‑Alanyl‑L‑Glutamine is far more stable than free L‑glutamine in solution, extending storage life and reducing decomposition during handling and incubation.
• Moreover, reduced ammonia and improved culture health: slower release of glutamine minimizes ammonia build‑up, supporting higher viability and more consistent growth, especially for sensitive primary cells.
• Additionally, buffering capacity: Ham’s F-12K L‑Alanyl‑L‑Glutamine features increased pH buffering (e.g., selectable NaHCO3/HEPES options) for improved pH stability during culture and after routine disturbances.
• Performance of Ham’s F-12K L‑Alanyl‑L‑Glutamine for primary and sensitive lines: optimized for primary hepatocytes, oocytes, and a broad range of cell lines that perform better with stable glutamine sources and robust buffering.
• Practical handling: improved thermal and storage stability with F12K with L-alanyl-L-glutamine’s enhanced stability reduces waste and logistics burden in labs and production settings.

Typical composition highlights (F‑12K‑MAX)

• L‑Alanyl‑L‑Glutamine: 4 mM (≈0.869 g/L)
• Sodium pyruvate: 5 mM
• High glucose option: 4.5 g/L (select formulations available)
• Sodium bicarbonate: standard 3.7 g/L (other NaHCO3 levels available to match incubator CO2)
• Non‑essential amino acids, phenol red; no proteins or growth factors (supplement per protocol, e.g., 10% FBS)

Mechanism & rationale Free L‑glutamine degrades in aqueous solutions to yield ammonia and breakdown products that can impair cell health and assay reproducibility. L‑alanyl‑L‑glutamine, a dipeptide, hydrolyzes more slowly, providing a steady supply of glutamine and alanine to cells while minimizing toxic ammonia accumulation. The result is improved culture stability, reproducible performance, and fewer lot losses due to media degradation.

Recommended use

• Use Ham’s F12K with L-alanyl-L-glutamine (F‑12K‑MAX) as a basal medium and supplement per your cell type (serum, growth factors, or defined supplements).
• Choose the NaHCO3/HEPES variant matching your incubator CO2 setting for best pH stability.
• Store unopened at 2–8 °C; avoid repeated freeze–thaw. Validate for your specific cell lines and assays.

Why PurMa F‑12K‑MAX

With 30+ years of cell culture formulation expertise and high‑purity (>99%) amino acids, PurMa Biologics manufactures hams f12k with l alanyl l Glutamine (F‑12K‑MAX) under rigorous QC to ensure reproducibility and lot consistency. Our extended portfolio and technical support help labs choose the right NaHCO3/HEPES options and supplementation strategy.

FAQs Q: What is Ham’s F‑12K L‑Alanyl‑L‑Glutamine (F‑12K‑MAX)?
A: Ham’s F‑12K L‑Alanyl‑L‑Glutamine (F‑12K‑MAX) is PurMa’s Kaighn’s modification of Ham’s F‑12 medium formulated with 4 mM L‑alanyl‑L‑glutamine for enhanced media stability, reduced ammonia, and improved culture performance.

FAQS

Q: How does L‑alanyl‑L‑glutamine compare to L‑glutamine?
A: L‑alanyl‑L‑glutamine is a stable dipeptide that degrades much more slowly than free L‑glutamine, producing less ammonia and providing a steadier glutamine supply—this improves shelf life and culture reproducibility.

Q: Which cells benefit most from F‑12K‑MAX?
A: Primary hepatocytes, oocytes, sensitive primary cultures, and many cell lines that are sensitive to ammonia or require consistent glutamine supply typically show improved viability and growth in F‑12K‑MAX.

Q: Do I need to supplement Ham’s F-12K L‑Alanyl‑L‑Glutamine  (F‑12K‑MAX)?
A: F‑12K‑MAX contains no proteins or growth factors and typically requires supplementation (e.g., 5–10% FBS or defined supplements) based on your cell type and protocol.

Q: How should I store and handle F‑12K‑MAX?
A: Store unopened bottles at 2–8 °C, protect from light, and avoid repeated freeze–thaw cycles. Prepare working volumes aseptically and validate performance for your assays.

Formulation of the Ham’s F-12K L‑Alanyl‑L‑Glutamine, Kaighn’s modification of Ham’s F-12-MAX, designated as Ham’s F-12K-MAX, introduces significant enhancements to the original formulation. This updated version aims to optimize performance while maintaining the essential characteristics of the initial design. Through meticulous adjustments in composition and process parameters, the modified formulation demonstrates improved efficacy and stability. As a result, it offers a more reliable solution for applications requiring heightened precision and performance. F12k universal complete growth medium is proven to be one of the best media for growing primary cells

For complete formulation of PurMa™ Ham’s F-12K-MAX, click here: PurMa™ Ham F12K-MAX Formulation

References

1.  Clonal growth of mammalian cells in a chemically defined, synthetic medium . DULBECCO R, FREEMAN G. 1959 Jul;8(3):396-7. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(59)90043-1. PMID: 13669362.
2. Plaque production by the polyoma virus. DULBECCO R, FREEMAN G. 1959 Jul;8(3):396-7. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(59)90043-1. PMID: 13669362.
3. The nucleic acid of polyoma virus. Smith, J.D., Freeman, G., Vogt, M., et al., (1960) The nucleic acid of polyoma virus. Virology 12:185

Learn more: What Is Ham’s F-12K?