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Cell Culture Protocols
Rely on Gibco Cell Culture Protocols to assist you in your cell culture journey. Find step-by-step protocols to guide your basic cell culture procedures and explore helpful reference tools to make life in the lab easier. Browse protocols by application or method below.
The following protocols are designed to be general protocols for mammalian cell culture; however cell culture conditions vary for each cell type. The consequences of deviating from the culture conditions required for a particular cell type can range from the expression of aberrant phenotypes to a complete failure of the cell culture. To prevent this, we recommend you familiarize yourself with your cell line of interest, and closely follow the instructions provided with each product in your experiment.
Basic cell culture protocols
Learn how to culture cells with these basic mammalian cell culture protocols:
- Adherent Cell Culture Protocol: This adherent cell culture protocol details dissociation procedures for passaging adherent cells and how to split cells into new cultures.
- Suspension Cell Culture Protocol: This suspension cell culture protocol describes the steps and materials needed for passaging suspension cells or cells adapted to cell culture suspensions.
- Cell Freezing Protocols: Learn how to freeze cells using this step-by-step cell freezing protocol. Get a list of necessary materials and tips for freezing cells.
- Thawing Cells: This detailed protocol makes successfully thawing cells for culture simple and straightforward. View necessary materials, precautions, and step-by-step instructions.
- Cell Culture Media Preparation from Powder: Refer to these protocols for instructions on powdered cell culture media preparation, powdered reagent preparation, and media preparation from concentrates.
- Enzymatic and Non-enzymatic Cell Dissociation Protocol: These protocols outline instructions to perform cell dissociation on adherent cell cultures using the 6 most common dissociation reagents.
Cell counting methods
Analyze your cultures with essential procedures for counting cells and measuring viability:
- Counting Cells in a Hemocytometer: This protocol describes the steps and materials needed for counting cells in a hemocytometer. Achieve precise cell counts with multiple calculation techniques.
- Trypan Blue Staining Protocol: This trypan blue protocol describes how trypan blue staining is used to conduct counts of live and dead cells in dye exclusion tests.
- Comparison of Cell Counting Using Countess Automated Cell Counters vs. Hemocytometers
- TrypLE Protocol & Counting with an Automated Cell Counter: Discover how Gibco TrypLE reagents and Countess Automated Cell Counters work together in this cell dissociation protocol and cell counting protocol.
- Cell Viability Protocols
Cell culture reference tools
Save these reference tools to use during your next experiment. Calculate seeding densities for common vessel sizes, find the products for your cell type, and view protocol videos and application notes for a wide range of experiment types:
- Useful Numbers for Cell Culture: Helpful tools and useful numbers for cell culture labs, with a chart for surface area, seeding density, and volumes for reagents and media in various culture vessels.
- Types of Growth Factors for Common Cell Types
- Cell Culture Select Tool: Search your cell line of interest to find product recommendations and resources to help enable a successful culture.
- Cell Culture & Transfection Application Notes
- Cell Culture Videos
Additional cell culture methods
Interested in more specific protocols than what’s in the Gibco Cell Culture Basics Library? Dive deeper into our cell culture resources with more cell and application-specific protocols:
- Recombinant Protein Learning Center
- Stem Cell Protocols
- Neural Cell Protocols
- Primary Cell Protocols
- Transfection Protocols
- 3D Cell Culture Protocols
Recommended products
Grow and maintain a variety of mammalian cell lines with Gibco Cell Culture Media.
Nunc Cell Culture Plastics support every step of your research with a broad range of culture vessels.
Gibco FBS offers consistent growth for your cells through essential nutrients and growth factors.
Resources
Cell Culture & Transfection Learning Center
Access cell culture and transfection educational resources to enable excellent experiment planning and execution.
Gibco Cell Culture Basics
Learn best practices and fundamentals of cell culture. Topics include aseptic technique and methods for the growth and maintenance of cells in culture.
Cell Culture Videos
Explore this collection of cell culture videos providing valuable insights into techniques, resources, and stay up to date with the latest advancements in the field.
Cell Culture Selection Tools
Find the right cell culture products for your research with these selection tools. Search for media, FBS, plastics, transfection reagents, and more.
Support
Cell Culture & Transfection Support Center
Find technical support recommendations for your cell culture and transfection workflows, including tips for experimental setup and in-depth troubleshooting help.
Need technical support?
Contact our expert team for technical and application support of Laboratory Products.
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For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.