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.

cGMP Manufacturing and Quality System
For supply chain continuity, we manufacture Gibco™ MEM at two separate facilities located in Grand Island, NY and Scotland, UK. Both sites are compliant with cGMP manufacturing requirements, are certified to ISO 13485, and are registered with the FDA as medical device manufacturers.

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. Powder forms of Gibco™ cell culture medium require sodium bicarbonate supplementation, pH adjustment, and filtration at the time of preparation (see protocol for details).