Basal Medium Eagle (BME) With Earle's Salts and L-Glutamine Without Sodium bicarbonate is supplied by HiMedia. It is available in the form of an off-white to creamish white homogenous powder. The pH without Sodium Bicarbonate is between 4.7 -5.3 whereas the pH with Sodium Bicarbonate is between 7.4 -8.0. The osmolality without Sodium Bicarbonate is in the range of 230.00 -270.00 Osm/Kg H20 whereas the osmolality with Sodium Bicarbonate 280.00 -320.00 Osm/Kg H20. It is advisable to store this product between 2-8C. Media composition (in mg/L) is as follows:

Calcium chloride dihydrate (265.00)

Magnesium sulphate anhydrous (97.72)

Potassium chloride (400.00)

Sodium chloride (6800.00)

Sodium dihydrogen phosphate anhydrous (122.00)

Amino acids

Choline chloride (1.00)

D-Ca-Pantothenate (1.00)

Folic acid (1.00)

Nicotinamide (1.00)

Pyridoxal hydrochloride (1.00)

Riboflavin (0.100)

Thiamine hydrochloride (1.00)

i-Inositol (2.00)

D-Glucose (1000.00)

Phenol red sodium salt (11.00)

Basal Medium is a combination of essential nutrients in appropriate concentrations for monolayer cultivation of a wide variety of normal and transformed cells. The medium was initially developed by Harry Eagle, as a result of studies to determine the nutritional requirements of HeLa cells and mouse fibroblast L cells in culture. Although there are many versions of Basal Medium described by Eagle, the name Basal Medium Eagle applies to only the formulation developed for HeLa cells. Basal Medium Eagle when properly supplemented supports growth of variety of diploid or primary mammalian cell cultures. Modifications to the original BME have resulted in other media, including MEM and DMEM. Users are advised to review the literature for recommendations regarding medium supplementation and physiological growth requirements specific for different cell lines.