Minimum Essential Medium (MEM) is one of the most commonly used of all cell culture media. MEM can be used with a variety of suspension and adherent mammalian cells, including HeLa, BHK-21, 293, HEP-2, HT-1080, MCF-7, fibroblasts, and primary rat astrocytes. We offer a variety of Gibco™ MEM modifications for a range of cell culture applications. Find the right formulation using the media selector tool.
The complete formulation is available.

Gibco™ MEM, developed by Harry Eagle, was based on his earlier formulation of Basal Medium Eagle (BME). Many other modifications of MEM followed, including Glasgow’s MEM, MEM α, DMEM, and Temin’s Modification. MEM is available with Earle’s salts for use in a CO₂ incubator, or with Hanks' salts for use without CO₂. This product is made with Earle’s salts.

Using MEM
MEM contains no proteins, lipids, or growth factors. Therefore, MEM requires supplementation, commonly with 10% Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS). MEM uses a sodium bicarbonate buffer system (2.2 g/L) and therefore requires a 5–10% CO₂ environment to maintain physiological pH.

cGMP Manufacturing and Quality System
Gibco™ MEM is manufactured at a cGMP compliant facility, located in Grand Island, New York. The facility is registered with the FDA as a medical device manufacturer and is certified to ISO 13485 standards. For supply chain continuity, we offer an identical Gibco™ MEM product made in our Scotland facility (21090-055). This facility is registered with the FDA as a medical device manufacturer and is certified to the ISO 13485 standard.