What is albumin? How is it used in cell culture?
Albumin is the main protein in blood, making up about 60% of the serum protein, and is found in almost all living body tissues. Because of its negative charge, albumin binds water, salts (Ca, Na, K), free fatty acids, hormones and vitamins and transports them between tissues and cells. Albmumin even transports the drugs we take! For cell culture purposes, albumin does not promote cell growth on it’s own, but it contributes to the overall mitogenic potential of the media by binding growth promoting substances and releasing them to the cell.
