Sf9 Cell Suspension Culture In Corning® Insect Cell Serum-Free Medium

By C. Philip Harding and Ann Rossi Bilodeau, Corning Incorporated, Life Sciences, Kennebunk, ME USA

What information was uncovered when the growth of Sf9 insect cells was studied in three different mediums to compare results? The study used Corning's Insect Cell serum-free medium and two other commercially available pre-hydrated media. All three mediums were prepared with cell culture grade water and the cells were adapted for three passages. The results showed that the cells adapted well to all three mediums, but the Corning medium demonstrated higher yields and shorter doubling times after adaptation. In the final study passage, the Corning medium showed accelerated cell expansion and sustained cell viability, unlike the other two mediums which showed a significant drop in cell viability.