Earle's Balanced Salt Solution 1X With Sodium bicarbonate Without Calcium, Magnesium and Phenol red is supplied by HiMedia. It is available in the form of a clear colourless solution with a pH in the range of 7.4 to 8.0 and an osmolality between 265.00 -305.00 mOsm/Kg H2O. It is advisable to store this product between 15-30C, away from bright light. Composition (in mg/L) is as follows:

Potassium chloride (400.00)

Sodium bicarbonate (2200.00)

Sodium chloride (6800.00)

Sodium dihydrogen orthophosphate (122.00)

Dextrose anhydrous (1000.00)

All media used in tissue culture have a basis of a synthetic mixture of inorganic salts known as a physiological or balanced salt solution (BSS). All the physiological salt solutions have been derived from the salt solution originally described by Sydney Ringer (1885). The first balanced salt solution to be developed specifically for supporting the metabolism of mammalian cells was Tyrode's solution. Since then many modifications have been done to obtain better buffering salt solutions and to prevent calcium precipitation. A salt solution is predominantly used to maintain the medium within physiological pH range and to maintain intracellular and extra cellular osmotic balance. Supplements like glucose, provide additional energy source. Earle's balanced salt solution is designed to equilibrate with a 5% CO2 in air mixture. It requires the cells to be grown in a 5% CO2 environment.