- ✓Proudly made in the USA, manufactured in house
- ✓Certificate of Analysis available for every lot
- ✓Backed by decades of cell culture and protein biochemistry expertise
- ✓Bulk pricing, purchase orders, and custom formulations welcome
PurMa™ Ultra-Premium Fetal Bovine Serum (UP-FBS)
Our highest-consistency fetal bovine serum, processed to minimize the batch-to-batch variation that undermines reproducibility.
- Selected for maximum reproducibility and lot-to-lot consistency
- Reduces variability in sensitive in vitro cell culture studies
- Premium grade for demanding or highly reproducible applications
Description
Background
Ultra-Premium PurMa™ Fetal Bovine Serum (UP-FBS) is the result of more than three decades of focused work in protein biochemistry. Leveraging this expertise, PurMa Biologics has developed a true next-generation serum. Ultra-Premium Fetal Bovine Serum (UP-FBS) is specifically engineered to deliver higher potency and performance than any other fetal bovine serum currently on the market, while maintaining exceptional lot-to-lot consistency.
In many in vitro cell culture studies, batch-wise variations in biological materials, especially serum, are a major source of experimental variability. Ultra-Premium PurMa™ Fetal Bovine Serum (UP-FBS) is manufactured, purified, and evaluated to minimize these fluctuations, thereby improving reproducibility in cell-based assays, biomarker studies, and bioproduction workflows. A key factor in the quality of UP-FBS is stringent control over the age and origin of the fetus, which directly influences growth factor composition, protein profile, and overall serum performance. Nowadays, premium imported fetal bovine serum has become popular among laboratories due to its affordable price, even though it does not offer the quality that provides enough potency.
Not sure which serum fits your cells? See our complete guide to cell culture serum.
Ultra-Premium PurMa™ Fetal Bovine Serum (UP-FBS) is:
- Sourced exclusively from USA-origin fetal bovine material.
- Heat-inactivated under tightly controlled conditions to preserve critical growth factors while inactivating complement and other unwanted components.
- Subjected to rigorous analytical testing, with each lot accompanied by a detailed Certificate of Analysis (CoA).
Through this approach, Ultra-Premium PurMa™ Fetal Bovine Serum (UP-FBS) delivers superior cell growth, enhanced viability, and improved consistency across experiments when compared with conventional fetal bovine serum products.
Major Differences Between bovine serum premium research grade and UP-FBS
Ultra-Premium PurMa™ Fetal Bovine Serum (UP-FBS) is distinguished from PurMa™ fetal bovine serum premium :
Source of the Blood
1. P-FBS is derived from more stringently selected fetal bovine sources, including tighter control of fetal age and collection conditions.
2. This refined sourcing leads to significantly higher cell growth and more robust performance of Ultra-Premium PurMa™ Fetal Bovine Serum (UP-FBS) compared with P-FBS in a wide range of cell lines and culture conditions.
Depth of Analytical Characterization
1. Ultra-Premium PurMa™ Fetal Bovine Serum (UP-FBS) undergoes an expanded analytical panel and enhanced quality control relative to standard P-FBS
2. This deeper analysis allows tighter specification ranges, improved lot qualification, and greater reproducibility of results.
The analytical foundation established with P-FBS is further refined and expanded for Ultra-Premium Fetal Bovine Serum (UP-FBS), enabling even more precise control over serum composition and performance.
Analysis
Ultra-Premium PurMa™ Fetal Bovine Serum (UP-FBS) goes through a detailed analysis. Here is an example of how we analyze this serum:Routine Pathological Analysis on PurMa Bovine and Horse Serums
References
- The preparation of antigenic hapten-carrier conjugates: a survey. Erlanger BF. Methods Enzymol. 1980;70(A):85-104. doi: 10.1016/s0076-6879(80)70043-5. PMID:
- Optimization of chemically defined cell culture media–replacing fetal bovine serum in mammalian in vitro methods. van der Valk et al. Toxicol In Vitro. 2010 Jun;24(4):1053-63. doi: 10.1016/j.tiv.2010.03.016. Epub 2010 Mar 31. PMID: 2036204.
- Chemically defined media and the culture of mammalian preimplantation embryos: historical perspective and current issues. Summers et al., Hum Reprod Update. 2003 Nov-Dec;9(6):557-82. doi: 10.1093/humupd/dmg039.
| Methodology | Unit measured | Accepted level | Result |
| Sterility (Current USP and EP 2.6.1 for Bacteria & Fungi) | NA | Not Detected | Not Detected |
| pH | N/A | measured | 6.58 |
| Osmolality (USP 785) mOsm/KgH2 | mOsm/KgH20 | 280-340 | 288 |
| Hemoglobin (Fleming & Woolf) | mg/dL | <25 | 12.9 |
| Endotoxin (USP 85) | EU/mL | <20 | <0.100 |
| Mycoplasma (Barile & Kern; Large Volume, Direct Culture) | NA | Not Detected | Not Detected |
| IgG | Elliza | Measured | 0.09 ug/ml |
| Albumin | Eliza | Measured | ≤ 4.6 g/dL |
| Virus Testing (9 CFR 113.53c) | |||
| Bovine Adenovirus | NA | Not Detected | Not Detected |
| Bovine Parvovirus | NA | Not Detected | Not Detected |
| Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus | NA | Not Detected | Not Detected |
| Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus | NA | Not Detected | Not Detected |
| Rabies | NA | Not Detected | Not Detected |
| Reovirus | NA | Not Detected | Not Detected |
| Cytopathogenic Agents (IBR) | NA | Not Detected | Not Detected |
| Hemadsorbing Agents (PI3) | NA | Not Detected | Not Detected |
| Bluetongue | NA | Not Detected | Not Detected |
Learn more: What Is Fetal Bovine Serum Used For?
Additional information
| Size | 1 x 50 ml, 1 x 500 ml |
|---|
Documents
Certificate of Analysis (COA): Available upon request for your specific order — email info@purmabiologics.com and we will send the current lot documentation.
Safety Data Sheet (SDS): Available upon request — email info@purmabiologics.com.
What our customers say about PurMa Biologics
Feedback from labs we supply, across our full catalogue.
We have been working with PurMa biologics for the past several years, we buy cell culture related media like DMEM F12 and EMEM and Fetal Bovine Serum. We appreciate the high quality and reasonable price, and great customer service.
We purchase everything we need related to cell and tissue culture from PurMa, reagents like: DMEM, LL15, EMEM, FBS, trypsin, antibiotics mix100X and... Always great quality, fast processing and shipping. We are totally satisfied.
Very fast, efficient, and economic service. Great for new PIs like me.
it is reliable vendor!
We always buy our agarose from PurMa and have never been disappointed.
I recently had the pleasure of interacting with Dr. Seif Azadi from Purma Biologics, and I cannot thank him enough for his expertise and prompt assistance. His deep knowledge and dedication were instrumental in meeting our laboratory’s needs with remarkable efficiency. We ordered FBS, DMEM, and Trypsin from Purma Biologics, and I’m thrilled to report that all the products have performed exceptionally well. They consistently deliver reproducible results, significantly enhancing the reliability of our experiments. Thank you, Team Purma Biologics, for your good products and support!
Frequently asked questions
How should I store and thaw PurMa™ Ultra-Premium Fetal Bovine Serum (UP-FBS)?
Store at minus 20 degrees C for long term use. Thaw overnight at 2 to 8 degrees C and then bring to room temperature with occasional gentle swirling, rather than plunging straight into a 37 degree bath. Aliquot after the first thaw, because repeated freeze and thaw cycles damage growth factors and cause cryoprecipitate.
Do I need to heat inactivate it?
Only for applications sensitive to complement, such as some immunological assays. Heat inactivation at 56 degrees C for 30 minutes also reduces some growth factors, so for routine culture most labs use serum without it. Test both if your cells are sensitive.
What testing is performed on each lot?
Each lot is tested for sterility, mycoplasma and endotoxin, along with a biochemical profile and haemoglobin. Results are reported on the Certificate of Analysis for that specific lot.
What are the flakes or particles in my thawed serum?
Almost always cryoprecipitate, which is fibrin and lipoprotein coming out of solution during freezing and thawing. It is normal, does not indicate contamination, and does not affect performance. It can be removed by filtration if it interferes with your assay.
Can I reserve a specific lot for repeat orders?
Yes. Labs that validate a lot for a sensitive application can reserve volume from it. Request lot reservation through the bulk pricing form on this page and state the volume and timescale you need.
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