α-MEM is an improved version of the minimum essential medium (MEM), containing non-essential amino acids, sodium pyruvate, thiamine, vitamin B12, biotin, and ascorbic acid. It is widely used for the culture of various suspended and adherent mammalian cells, including keratinocytes, primary rat astrocytes, and human melanoma cells. It can also be used for the selection of DG44 and other DHFR-negative cells in the absence of nucleosides. α-MEM contains glutamine and nucleosides, no phenol red, and no proteins, lipids, or growth factors. It can be supplemented as needed, typically with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). Other versions are also available to meet different cell culture needs.
