What do I need to avoid when storing cell culture media powders?

I. Avoid Moisture

1. Principle
   • Cell culture medium powders have a relatively strong hygroscopicity. Among its components, many substances are prone to combine with water molecules. For example, some inorganic salts and carbohydrates in it will adsorb water molecules. Once exposed to moisture, the physical properties of the powder will change, and caking may occur.
2. Impact
   • The caked powder is difficult to dissolve evenly when preparing the culture medium. This will lead to an uneven distribution of nutrients in the culture medium, affecting the normal growth of cells. For example, cells may grow abnormally or even die due to local nutrient excess or deficiency.

II. Avoid High Temperatures

1. Principle
   • A high – temperature environment will cause some heat – sensitive components in the cell culture medium powder to denature or decompose. Growth factors, some vitamins, and amino acids are unstable at high temperatures. For example, some protein – based growth factors will have their three – dimensional structures destroyed and lose their biological activity when the temperature exceeds a certain limit.
2. Impact
   • The denaturation or decomposition of these components will make the culture medium lose its original nutritional value. When used for cell culture, it cannot provide comprehensive and effective nutritional support for cells, thereby affecting physiological processes such as cell proliferation and differentiation, and making it difficult to obtain accurate results in cell culture experiments.

III. Avoid Light Exposure

1. Principle
   • Light, especially ultraviolet light and strong light, has certain energy. Some components in the cell culture medium powder are photosensitive. For example, riboflavin (vitamin B2) and other components may undergo photochemical reactions under light.
2. Impact
   • Photochemical reactions will change the chemical structures of these components, resulting in changes in their properties. When such culture medium powder is used, it may not meet the nutrient requirements for cell growth, affecting the normal growth and metabolism of cells.

IV. Avoid Oxidation

1. Principle
   • Some components in the cell culture medium powder, such as antioxidants and some trace elements, are prone to oxidation reactions with oxygen in the air. These components themselves play important roles in the cell growth process. For example, antioxidants can protect cells from oxidative damage.
2. Impact
   • Once oxidized, these components lose their functions, and the quality of the culture medium declines. During cell culture, cells may be exposed to an oxidative stress environment, resulting in damage to cell membrane structures, proteins, and nucleic acids, etc., and affecting cell survival and function.

V. Avoid Contact with Contaminants

1. Principle
   • There may be various contaminants in the storage environment, such as dust and volatile chemical substances. Dust may carry microorganisms, and volatile chemical substances may react chemically with the components of the culture medium powder.
2. Impact
   • Microbial contamination will cause cell culture contamination when the culture medium powder is subsequently used, affecting the normal growth of cells. Chemical contamination may change the components and properties of the culture medium, making it unsuitable for cell culture, resulting in cell growth inhibition or even death.