MethoCult H4330, 90mL

Supplied as a 90 mL bottle, this methylcellulose-based culture medium from STEMCELL Technologies is formulated for the enumeration of human erythroid hematopoietic progenitor cells in colony-forming unit (CFU) assays. The viscous matrix combines 1% methylcellulose with Iscove's Modified Dulbecco's Medium (IMDM), supplemented with fetal bovine serum, bovine serum albumin, L-glutamine, and 2-mercaptoethanol. Recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) is included as the principal cytokine driver, biasing differentiation toward the erythroid lineage.

Bone marrow, cord blood, or mobilized peripheral blood mononuclear cells, or purified CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, are resuspended in the medium and plated into 35 mm dishes or 6-well plate wells, where the methylcellulose prevents cell migration and allows discrete colonies to form. After approximately 14 days of incubation at 37°C in a humidified 5% CO2 atmosphere, BFU-E (burst-forming unit-erythroid) and CFU-E (colony-forming unit-erythroid) colonies are visualized and scored under an inverted microscope to quantify progenitor frequency. Store refrigerated and protect from light to maintain cytokine activity throughout the product shelf life.