Charcoal stripped FBS vs Heat inactivated FBS

[Susanne Rohrer]

Martin Offterdinger wrote:

>
> Yes, there is a difference indeed, the two methods have nothing at all in
> common!
>
> -Heat treatment inactivates complement and should always be done with FCS!
>
> -Charcoal treatment removes hydrophobic, low MW compounds (i.e. steroid
> hormones, etc...)
>
> It is troublesome to prepare charcoal stripped serum (takes about 1 week of
> stírring with charcoal and even more troublesome removing charcoal
> afterwards by filtration!!)

We used a protocol for dextran-coated charcoal treatment of FBS once a long
time ago (van der Eijnden-van Raij et al, Mech. Dev. 1991) that takes a day or
so. maybe that helps, maybe it removes too much stuff (it did in my case)

It's been a long time, so I take no responsibility for this.

Susanne