BenchStable Media are engineered for flexibility and convenience
Save your lab’s valuable cold storage space with Gibco BenchStable Media, engineered for flexibility and convenience, this media enables storage at room temperature. BenchStable Media is available in the most commonly used basal media formulations: DMEM, DMEM/F-12, MEM, and RPMI 1640. These media have been optimized for routine cell culture, maintaining expected morphology and function of many common cell lines.
Explore the benefits of BenchStable Media:
- Stable at room temperature—no need to refrigerate means the media temperature is just right when you are ready to use it
- Flexibility—store it anywhere: on your lab bench or in the refrigerator
- Easy to use—direct replacement for your current media when supplemented with ≥10% FBS
- Light protection—bottles provided in protective packaging to help mitigate the risk of light exposure; no more wrapping bottles in foil
BenchStable Media offer a sustainable solution
BenchStable Media have more sustainable packaging and help reduce energy consumption by promoting the efficient use of cold storage when compared to traditional media.
Energy efficient
Globally, a switch by scientists to BenchStable Media from current refrigerated media would save 34 GWh of energy each year, equivalent to the yearly greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from more than 5,000 passenger cars.
Recyclable materials
BenchStable Media is packaged in a Gibco bottle made from PET with HDPE lid—two of the most highly recycled plastics. The media bottle comes in protective packaging, a paperboard box made from 100% recyclable material, to prevent degradation from light exposure.
Protective packaging
While the paperboard box is added packaging, it contributes 0.05 lb of CO2 equivalents compared with the 6.5 lb of CO2 equivalents saved by enabling ambient media storage, resulting in a 6.45 lb of CO2 equivalents benefit with a switch to BenchStable Media.
Reliable results for routine cell culture with BenchStable Media
Figures 1 and 2 show that BenchStable Media support cellular growth rates equivalent to those observed in conventional media. Figures 3, 4, and 5 show that cell functionality, including morphology and health, is maintained in BenchStable Media.
BenchStable Media maintain expected growth rates
Figure 1. BenchStable Media support equivalent growth rates in long-term cultures. HeLa (MEM; pink), HEK293 (DMEM; blue), Jurkat (RPMI; green), and SH-SY5Y (DMEM/F-12; yellow) cells were grown in standard (closed points) and BenchStable (open points) media supplemented with 10% FBS for 15 passages. Cell counts at each passage were used to calculate population doubling times.
Figure 2. BenchStable Media support equivalent growth rates in short-term cultures. A549 (MEM; pink), MCF7 (DMEM; blue), THP-1 (RPMI; green), and CHO-K1 (DMEM/F-12; yellow) cells were grown in standard (closed points) and BenchStable (open points) media supplemented with 10% FBS for 5 passages. Cell counts at each passage were used to calculate population doubling times.
BenchStable Media maintain cell morphology
Figure 3. BenchStable DMEM supports HEK293 cell culture. HEK293 human embryonic kidney cells were cultured for 15 passages in DMEM (left; Cat. No. 10566016) or BenchStable DMEM (right; Cat. No. A4192101) supplemented with 10% FBS. Images were captured at passage 15 using 10x magnification on an EVOS FL Auto Imaging System.
Figure 4. BenchStable DMEM supports HeLa cell culture. HeLa human cervical adenocarcinoma cells were cultured for 15 passages in MEM (left; Cat. No. 41090036) or BenchStable MEM (right; Cat. No. A4192201) supplemented with 10% FBS. Images were captured at passage 15 using 10x magnification on an EVOS FL Auto Imaging System.
BenchStable Media maintain cell health
Figure 5. Cells cultured in BenchStable Media maintain healthy mitochondria. HeLa cells cultured in DMEM (left) and BenchStable DMEM (right) for eight passages were stained with tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester (TMRM; Cat. No. T668) and Hoechst 33342 Solution (Cat. No. 62249). TMRM is a cell-permeant dye that accumulates in active mitochondria, resulting in a bright signal in healthy cells.
BenchStable Media are reliable for your cell culture applications. Figure 6 shows that transfection efficiency remains high for cells cultured in BenchStable Media. Figure 7 shows that cells cultured in conventional media and cells cultured in BenchStable Media exhibit comparable gene expression levels.
Equivalent transfection efficiency in BenchStable Media cultures
Figure 6. Equivalent transfection efficiency in BenchStable Media cultures. HeLa cells cultured in MEM (left) and BenchStable MEM (right) for over five passages were transfected with a GFP-containing plasmid DNA via Lipofectamine 3000 (Cat. No. L3000015). Transfection efficiency was measured in cells harvested 24 h post-transfection by analysis on the Attune NxT Flow Cytometer, using untransfected cells as negative control.
Comparable gene expression with cells in BenchStable Media
Figure 7. Effective differentiation in BenchStable Media SH-SY5Y cultures. SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells cultured in DMEM/F-12 (left panels) and BenchStable DMEM/F-12 (right panels) were treated with 10 µM retinoic acid and allowed to differentiate for five days. Cells were stained with Alexa Fluor 488 phalloidin (green; Cat. No. A12379) and Hoechst 33342 Solution (blue; Cat. No. 62249) to allow visualization of extended, branched neuron-like processes (top panels). Cholinergic neuron-like phenotypes (bottom panels) were shown by staining parallel cultures for tubulin (red; Cat. Nos. MA1-118x and A11005 for primary and secondary antibody) and choline acetyl transferase (ChAT, green; Cat. Nos. PA1-4738 and A11034 for primary and secondary antibodies).
BenchStable Media maintain quality while stored at ambient room temperatures
In creating this next innovation in cell culture media, we took great care to help ensure BenchStable Media will provide the quality and consistency that you rely on. Figure 8 shows the negative impact light has on all standard media and is the reason behind the protective packaging. Figure 9 illustrates that essential vitamin and amino acid levels are consistently maintained in BenchStable Media stored at ambient room temperatures.
Light negatively impacts standard basal media performance
Figure 8. Light exposure alters media performance. DMEM/F-12 regularly exposed to standard laboratory light was supplemented with 10% FBS and used to culture HEK293 cells over a period of four weeks. After 25 days of light exposure HEK293 growth rates were significantly reduced. Images were taken approximately 95 hours after plating HEK293 cells at P7.
BenchStable Media maintain necessary vitamin and amino acid levels
Figure 9. Media components remain consistent in BenchStable Media. BenchStable RPMI(left) and BenchStable DMEM/F-12 (right) media were maintained at room temperature (20–25°C) for 13 months. Samples taken at 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 13 months were assessed for vitamin and amino acid concentrations via HPLC and compared with concentrations in lot-matched media stored at 2–8°C.
The following customer stories feature the work of our BenchStable Media product testers
The convenience of storage is great. It is also very helpful not to have to wait for the media to warm up. I have cultured both my murine tumor cell lines and human cell lines with BenchStable Media and my standard media and the results were comparable. Our fridge is packed full; therefore it is a benefit to have the flexibility to store BenchStable Media on our lab benches or in a cabinet.
— Nathalie Heider-Hoenatsch, PhD Candidate, University Hospital Bonn, Germany
I’ve been using your room temperature stable media for the past few weeks, and it’s been great. There’s no noticeable difference between BenchStable DMEM and standard DMEM. The cells we’ve been using have been growing at the same rate and maintaining the same phenotype in both types of media (across 4 passages). Room temperature storage is great because we have more storage space in the lab (at room temperature) than we have in the refrigerator.
— Janty Shoga, Research Engineer, Gemstone Biotherapeutics LLC
BenchStable Media are extremely convenient to use. We were able to avoid the process of warming the media before use, hence saving us time. The media since stored at room temperature saves a lot of space in the refrigerator, which can be occupied by other reagents. Recently, we had a power outage for two days due to a hurricane and did not have to worry about the storage or stability of BenchStable Media. Performance-wise, our MDA-MB and MCF-7 cells adhered and proliferated similarly to conventional media making it super convenient.
— Dr. Vivek A Kamat, Florida International University, USA
In recent weeks, I have used the new Gibco BenchStable DMEM for mouse myeloma cells and various mouse hybridoma cells. The results regarding cell growth and monoclonal antibody yield were comparable to the original Gibco DMEM. The big advantage of BenchStable DMEM is the storage at room temperature and no need to warm the media before use. I give a 100% recommendation for these innovative new media.
— Sabine Buchmeier, Antibody Facility, Braunschweig, Germany
Recent research publications citing use of BenchStable Media
Impact of Metformin Treatment on Human Placental Energy Production and Oxidative Stress
Jane L. Tarry-Adkins, India G. Robinson, Rebecca M. Reynolds, Irving L. M. H. Aye, D. Stephen Charnock-Jones, Benjamin Jenkins, Albert Koulmann, Susan E. Ozanne and Catherine E. Aiken. Front Cell Dev Biol, 17 June 2022. PMID: 35784487.
- Research area: Developmental Cell Biology
- Cell lines: Primary trophoblasts
- Objective: Assess impact of Metformin on metabolism and energy production in the developing feto-placental unit.
- Findings: The drug Metformin is often used during pregnancy to help control blood sugar. Researchers at The Rosie Hospital in Cambridge, UK published their work on the effects of Metformin on the placenta. They assessed concentrations of Metformin, oxygen consumption, and Metformin-transporter mRNA and protein-levels in placental cells. They found that primary-trophoblast cultures exposed to clinically relevant metformin concentrations have reduced mitochondrial-respiration, mitochondrial-dependent ATP-production, and reduced markers of oxidative-stress.
Adaptation of the Kirkstall QV600 LLI Microfluidics System for the Study of Gastrointestinal Absorption by Mass Spectrometry Imaging and LC-MS/MS
Chloe E. Spencer, Stephen Rumbelow, Steve Mellor, Catherine J. Duckett, and Malcolm R. Clench. Pharmaceutics 2022, 14(2), 364. PMID: 35214096
- Research area: Drug absorption
- Cell lines: Primary porcine intestinal tissue
- Objective: Assess the use of a microfluidics system for drug absorption studies
- Findings: Absorption studies on oral drugs can be difficult due to the challenge of replicating the complex structure and environment of the GI tract. The researchers at Sheffield Hallam University adapted a microfluidics system to act as a model for the duodenum section of the small intestine. They were able to flow varying drug concentrations over the apical layer and while the basal layer of intestinal tissue received a nutrient solution to maintain tissue viability. This proof of concept study shows how microfluidic systems can be used for drug absorption studies.
Figures 1 and 2 show that BenchStable Media support cellular growth rates equivalent to those observed in conventional media. Figures 3, 4, and 5 show that cell functionality, including morphology and health, is maintained in BenchStable Media.
BenchStable Media maintain expected growth rates
Figure 1. BenchStable Media support equivalent growth rates in long-term cultures. HeLa (MEM; pink), HEK293 (DMEM; blue), Jurkat (RPMI; green), and SH-SY5Y (DMEM/F-12; yellow) cells were grown in standard (closed points) and BenchStable (open points) media supplemented with 10% FBS for 15 passages. Cell counts at each passage were used to calculate population doubling times.
Figure 2. BenchStable Media support equivalent growth rates in short-term cultures. A549 (MEM; pink), MCF7 (DMEM; blue), THP-1 (RPMI; green), and CHO-K1 (DMEM/F-12; yellow) cells were grown in standard (closed points) and BenchStable (open points) media supplemented with 10% FBS for 5 passages. Cell counts at each passage were used to calculate population doubling times.
BenchStable Media maintain cell morphology
Figure 3. BenchStable DMEM supports HEK293 cell culture. HEK293 human embryonic kidney cells were cultured for 15 passages in DMEM (left; Cat. No. 10566016) or BenchStable DMEM (right; Cat. No. A4192101) supplemented with 10% FBS. Images were captured at passage 15 using 10x magnification on an EVOS FL Auto Imaging System.
Figure 4. BenchStable DMEM supports HeLa cell culture. HeLa human cervical adenocarcinoma cells were cultured for 15 passages in MEM (left; Cat. No. 41090036) or BenchStable MEM (right; Cat. No. A4192201) supplemented with 10% FBS. Images were captured at passage 15 using 10x magnification on an EVOS FL Auto Imaging System.
BenchStable Media maintain cell health
Figure 5. Cells cultured in BenchStable Media maintain healthy mitochondria. HeLa cells cultured in DMEM (left) and BenchStable DMEM (right) for eight passages were stained with tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester (TMRM; Cat. No. T668) and Hoechst 33342 Solution (Cat. No. 62249). TMRM is a cell-permeant dye that accumulates in active mitochondria, resulting in a bright signal in healthy cells.
BenchStable Media are reliable for your cell culture applications. Figure 6 shows that transfection efficiency remains high for cells cultured in BenchStable Media. Figure 7 shows that cells cultured in conventional media and cells cultured in BenchStable Media exhibit comparable gene expression levels.
Equivalent transfection efficiency in BenchStable Media cultures
Figure 6. Equivalent transfection efficiency in BenchStable Media cultures. HeLa cells cultured in MEM (left) and BenchStable MEM (right) for over five passages were transfected with a GFP-containing plasmid DNA via Lipofectamine 3000 (Cat. No. L3000015). Transfection efficiency was measured in cells harvested 24 h post-transfection by analysis on the Attune NxT Flow Cytometer, using untransfected cells as negative control.
Comparable gene expression with cells in BenchStable Media
Figure 7. Effective differentiation in BenchStable Media SH-SY5Y cultures. SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells cultured in DMEM/F-12 (left panels) and BenchStable DMEM/F-12 (right panels) were treated with 10 µM retinoic acid and allowed to differentiate for five days. Cells were stained with Alexa Fluor 488 phalloidin (green; Cat. No. A12379) and Hoechst 33342 Solution (blue; Cat. No. 62249) to allow visualization of extended, branched neuron-like processes (top panels). Cholinergic neuron-like phenotypes (bottom panels) were shown by staining parallel cultures for tubulin (red; Cat. Nos. MA1-118x and A11005 for primary and secondary antibody) and choline acetyl transferase (ChAT, green; Cat. Nos. PA1-4738 and A11034 for primary and secondary antibodies).
BenchStable Media maintain quality while stored at ambient room temperatures
In creating this next innovation in cell culture media, we took great care to help ensure BenchStable Media will provide the quality and consistency that you rely on. Figure 8 shows the negative impact light has on all standard media and is the reason behind the protective packaging. Figure 9 illustrates that essential vitamin and amino acid levels are consistently maintained in BenchStable Media stored at ambient room temperatures.
Light negatively impacts standard basal media performance
Figure 8. Light exposure alters media performance. DMEM/F-12 regularly exposed to standard laboratory light was supplemented with 10% FBS and used to culture HEK293 cells over a period of four weeks. After 25 days of light exposure HEK293 growth rates were significantly reduced. Images were taken approximately 95 hours after plating HEK293 cells at P7.
BenchStable Media maintain necessary vitamin and amino acid levels
Figure 9. Media components remain consistent in BenchStable Media. BenchStable RPMI(left) and BenchStable DMEM/F-12 (right) media were maintained at room temperature (20–25°C) for 13 months. Samples taken at 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 13 months were assessed for vitamin and amino acid concentrations via HPLC and compared with concentrations in lot-matched media stored at 2–8°C.
The following customer stories feature the work of our BenchStable Media product testers
The convenience of storage is great. It is also very helpful not to have to wait for the media to warm up. I have cultured both my murine tumor cell lines and human cell lines with BenchStable Media and my standard media and the results were comparable. Our fridge is packed full; therefore it is a benefit to have the flexibility to store BenchStable Media on our lab benches or in a cabinet.
— Nathalie Heider-Hoenatsch, PhD Candidate, University Hospital Bonn, Germany
I’ve been using your room temperature stable media for the past few weeks, and it’s been great. There’s no noticeable difference between BenchStable DMEM and standard DMEM. The cells we’ve been using have been growing at the same rate and maintaining the same phenotype in both types of media (across 4 passages). Room temperature storage is great because we have more storage space in the lab (at room temperature) than we have in the refrigerator.
— Janty Shoga, Research Engineer, Gemstone Biotherapeutics LLC
BenchStable Media are extremely convenient to use. We were able to avoid the process of warming the media before use, hence saving us time. The media since stored at room temperature saves a lot of space in the refrigerator, which can be occupied by other reagents. Recently, we had a power outage for two days due to a hurricane and did not have to worry about the storage or stability of BenchStable Media. Performance-wise, our MDA-MB and MCF-7 cells adhered and proliferated similarly to conventional media making it super convenient.
— Dr. Vivek A Kamat, Florida International University, USA
In recent weeks, I have used the new Gibco BenchStable DMEM for mouse myeloma cells and various mouse hybridoma cells. The results regarding cell growth and monoclonal antibody yield were comparable to the original Gibco DMEM. The big advantage of BenchStable DMEM is the storage at room temperature and no need to warm the media before use. I give a 100% recommendation for these innovative new media.
— Sabine Buchmeier, Antibody Facility, Braunschweig, Germany
Recent research publications citing use of BenchStable Media
Impact of Metformin Treatment on Human Placental Energy Production and Oxidative Stress
Jane L. Tarry-Adkins, India G. Robinson, Rebecca M. Reynolds, Irving L. M. H. Aye, D. Stephen Charnock-Jones, Benjamin Jenkins, Albert Koulmann, Susan E. Ozanne and Catherine E. Aiken. Front Cell Dev Biol, 17 June 2022. PMID: 35784487.
- Research area: Developmental Cell Biology
- Cell lines: Primary trophoblasts
- Objective: Assess impact of Metformin on metabolism and energy production in the developing feto-placental unit.
- Findings: The drug Metformin is often used during pregnancy to help control blood sugar. Researchers at The Rosie Hospital in Cambridge, UK published their work on the effects of Metformin on the placenta. They assessed concentrations of Metformin, oxygen consumption, and Metformin-transporter mRNA and protein-levels in placental cells. They found that primary-trophoblast cultures exposed to clinically relevant metformin concentrations have reduced mitochondrial-respiration, mitochondrial-dependent ATP-production, and reduced markers of oxidative-stress.
Adaptation of the Kirkstall QV600 LLI Microfluidics System for the Study of Gastrointestinal Absorption by Mass Spectrometry Imaging and LC-MS/MS
Chloe E. Spencer, Stephen Rumbelow, Steve Mellor, Catherine J. Duckett, and Malcolm R. Clench. Pharmaceutics 2022, 14(2), 364. PMID: 35214096
- Research area: Drug absorption
- Cell lines: Primary porcine intestinal tissue
- Objective: Assess the use of a microfluidics system for drug absorption studies
- Findings: Absorption studies on oral drugs can be difficult due to the challenge of replicating the complex structure and environment of the GI tract. The researchers at Sheffield Hallam University adapted a microfluidics system to act as a model for the duodenum section of the small intestine. They were able to flow varying drug concentrations over the apical layer and while the basal layer of intestinal tissue received a nutrient solution to maintain tissue viability. This proof of concept study shows how microfluidic systems can be used for drug absorption studies.
BenchStable Media videos
Watch these videos to learn how you can break through your lab's limitations in cold-storage space with BenchStable Media.
BenchStable Media literature
The coolest new media are totally uncool
Get out of the cold and warm up to room temperature stable cell culture media.
Other room temperature-stable products
TrypLE dissociation reagent
These highly purified, recombinant enzymes provide fast yet gentle cell dissociation. Ideal for dissociating attachment-dependent cell lines, TrypLE reagents can be directly substituted for trypsin without protocol changes.
GlutaMAX supplement
Extend the life of your cells with GlutaMAX supplement. GlutaMAX supplement is stable in aqueous solutions and does not spontaneously degrade. This improved cell culture supplement can be used as a direct substitute for L-glutamine in your cell culture media.
Get BenchStable Media in your supply center today
Add new room temperature stable BenchStable Media to your Supply Center to save refrigerator space. These innovative media are available in the most commonly used formulations: DMEM, DMEM/F-12, MEM, and RPMI 1640.
Already using Gibco media? Here is a quick cross-reference to help you make the switch. BenchStable Media contain GlutaMAX supplement and phenol red.
| Product description | Current Cat. No. | BenchStable Cat. No. |
|---|---|---|
DMEM/F12 with GlutaMAX
| 10565018 (500 mL) | A4192001 (500 mL) |
10565042 (10 x 500 mL) | A4192002 (10 x 500 mL) | |
DMEM with GlutaMAX
| 10566016 (500 mL) | A4192101 (500 mL) |
10566024 (10 x 500 mL) | A4192102 (10 x 500 mL) | |
MEM with GlutaMAX
| 41090036 (500 mL) | A4192201 (500 mL) |
41090101 (10 x 500 mL) | A4192202 (10 x 500 mL) | |
RPMI with GlutaMAX
| 61870036 (500 mL) | A4192301 (500 mL) |
61870127 (10 x 500 mL) | A4192302 (10 x 500 mL) |
Try Gibco One Shot FBS for quick and easy 10% FBS supplementation
Visit thermofisher.com/oneshot
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about BenchStable Media
Do you need more information about using BenchStable Media in your cell culture experiments? Get your answers by visiting our FAQs for BenchStable Media.
GMP manufacturing
Gibco cell culture products are manufactured in facilities compliant with current good manufacturing practices (GMP) and adhere to a robust quality management system, helping to ensure the consistency, reliability, and high quality you can rely on.
Sustainable solutions
The 1 L Gibco bottle uses 38% less source material (32% less material for the 500 mL bottle) than comparable media bottles on the market today. This helps reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources, helping shrink your footprint.
Download the Green Fact Sheet
Learn more about sustainable solutions
Cell Culture & Transfection Learning Center
Access cell culture and transfection educational resources for better experiment planning and execution.
Gibco Cell Culture Basics
Learn the fundamentals of cell culture for achieving consistent results, including laboratory setup, safety, and aseptic techniques.
Media Formulation Tool
Find the right Gibco media formulation for DMEM, DMEM/F-12, MEM, and RPMI-1640 media.
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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.
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