Use Of Animal Serum-free Media For Growing Live Cells Urged By New Journal Artic

[Guest guest]

Main Category: Biology/Biochemistry News

Article 27 Feb 2006 - 18:00pm (UK)

 

WASHINGTON--In the March issue of Trends in Biotechnology, scientists

and doctors with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

(PCRM) recommend using only animal serum-free media to grow live

cells in the laboratory. At issue is the use of fetal calf serum,

which is obtained by puncturing the heart of a fetal calf without

anesthesia. Recent breakthroughs permit the growth of human cells in

a medium free of animal serum, enabling scientists and researchers to

make cell culture safer and more humane.

 

" Scientists have access to humane and scientifically superior

alternatives, so now is the time to completely eliminate the use of

fetal calf serum in the laboratory, " says Megha Shah Even, M.S., a

staff scientist at PCRM and lead author of the paper. Live cells

grown in the laboratory are used for many purposes including the

manufacture of drugs and diagnostic kits.

 

Trends in Biotechnology, based in the United Kingdom, invited Mrs.

Even to submit a paper after learning that she spearheaded the

development of the world's first animal serum-free insulin assay. In

addition to humane concerns, the article emphasizes the scientific

advantages of serum-free cell culture. Growing cells without animal

serum ensures that fewer variables are introduced into experiments,

meaning that results are easily reproducible by different

laboratories.

 

###

 

For a copy of the new article published in Trends in

Biotechnology, " Serum-free hybridoma culture: Ethical, scientific and

safety considerations, " or an interview with lead author Megha Shah

Even, M.S., please contact Jeanne S. McVey at 202-686-2210, ext. 316,

or jeannem.

 

Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is

a nonprofit health organization that promotes preventive medicine,

especially good nutrition. PCRM also conducts clinical research

studies, opposes unethical human experimentation, and promotes

alternatives to animal research.

 

Jeanne Stuart McVey

Senior Media Relations Specialist

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

5100 Wisconsin Ave., N.W., Suite 400

Washington, D.C., 20016

jeannem

http://www.pcrm.org/

 

Contact: Jeanne S. McVey

jeannem

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine