MethoCult H4034 Optimum, 3mL

A complete methylcellulose-based medium from STEMCELL Technologies, this 3 mL formulation is purpose-built for colony-forming unit (CFU) assays of human hematopoietic progenitor cells. The vial arrives pre-supplemented with recombinant human cytokines — stem cell factor, GM-CSF, G-CSF, IL-3, IL-6, and erythropoietin — supporting simultaneous enumeration of erythroid (BFU-E, CFU-E), granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM, CFU-G), and multilineage (CFU-GEMM) colonies from bone marrow, cord blood, or mobilized peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

The standard protocol dispenses 1.1 mL of medium per 35 mm dish, plated in triplicate for statistical reliability, then incubates the cultures at 37 °C in 5% CO₂ for 14 days before colonies are scored under an inverted microscope. Vials ship frozen and must be stored at -20 °C; once thawed, contents should be aliquoted and used promptly, since repeated freeze-thaw cycles compromise recombinant cytokine activity. Hematology, transplant, and regenerative medicine laboratories deploy this assay to quantify progenitor frequency, evaluate myelosuppressive or proliferative drug effects, and characterize lineage commitment in normal and diseased samples.