Hanks′ Balanced Salt Solution - for cell culture, liquid,Without calcium chloride,magnesium sulfate and sodium bicarbonate,sterile-filtered,10×

Cat. No.: H476172

GRADE & PURITY for Cell culture, liquid,Without calcium chloride,magnesium sulfate and sodium bicarbonate,sterile-filtered,10×

Synonyms

Hanks’ Balanced Salt solution

Storage

Store at 2-8°C

Shipped In

Wet ice

Overview

Balanced salt solution (BSS) is crucial in cell culture as it serves as an irrigating, transporting, and diluting agent to maintain the intra- and extracellular osmotic balance and also provides energy for cell metabolism. It provides water and bulk inorganic ions to the cells to maintain the normal cell metabolism. BSS plays a role in the buffering system to maintain the medium within the physiological pH range (7.2-7.6).

Specifications

Synonyms

Hanks’ Balanced Salt solution

Specifications & Purity

for cell culture, liquid,Without calcium chloride,magnesium sulfate and sodium bicarbonate,sterile-filtered,10×

Storage

Store at 2-8°C

Shipped In

Wet ice

This product requires cold chain shipping. Ground and other economy services are not available.

Grade

for Cell culture

Application Protocols

General, literature-informed protocols (guidance only; adjust per cell type and verify with your SOPs). Item-specific validated applications are not provided for this SKU.

1. Washing adherent cells before trypsinization:

• Warm HBSS (without Ca2+/Mg2+, literature) to 20–37 °C.
• Aspirate culture medium; gently rinse the monolayer with sufficient HBSS to remove serum.
• Proceed with enzyme or chelator treatment as per method.

2. Flow cytometry staining buffer base:

• Prepare HBSS supplemented with 0.5–1% BSA and optional 0.05–0.1% sodium azide (if compatible and permitted). Keep cold (2–8 °C) to minimize capping/internalization during staining. Azide use and concentration should follow institutional policies.

3. Tissue transport and rinsing:

• Chill HBSS on wet ice. Immerse freshly harvested tissue; transport promptly to the processing area. Rinse multiple times to remove blood/debris prior to enzymatic digestion.

4. Live-cell imaging (short-term):

• Use phenol red–free HBSS if optical background is a concern. Equilibrate bicarbonate-buffered HBSS in 5% CO2, or choose a CO2-independent buffer if imaging outside an incubator.

Note: Exact component profile (Ca2+/Mg2+, glucose, indicators, preservatives) for SKU H476172 is not specified; tailor protocols accordingly.

Biological Roles

HBSS is designed to mimic key aspects of the extracellular fluid environment to support cells during handling outside of complete culture media.

Biological functions (literature; general):

• Osmotic balance: Sodium and chloride dominate ionic strength to maintain isotonicity, preventing cell lysis or crenation.
• pH homeostasis: Phosphate and bicarbonate buffering maintain near-neutral pH; bicarbonate requires equilibrium with CO2 for target pH.
• Ionic requirements: Divalent cations (Ca2+, Mg2+) modulate cell adhesion, signaling, and enzyme activities; their inclusion/exclusion tailors HBSS to specific manipulations.
• Energy support: D-glucose (when present) provides a readily metabolizable substrate to sustain cellular ATP production short term.
• Minimal nutrient background: Compared with complete media, HBSS limits confounding variables (e.g., serum proteins), ideal for washing, staining, and short incubations.

Use-case perspectives:

• Primary cells and fragile lines benefit from isotonic, buffered rinses to minimize stress during harvesting or sorting.
• Absence of amino acids and growth factors ensures reduced background in metabolic assays or receptor-ligand binding studies.

Note: Exact component profile for SKU H476172 is not specified; verify Ca2+/Mg2+, glucose, bicarbonate, and indicator status on the CoA to match biological needs.

Buffer Applications

HBSS serves as a balanced salt buffer for routine cell culture manipulations.

General buffer guidance (literature; not item-specific):

• pH range: Typically maintained near 7.0–7.4. Bicarbonate-containing HBSS requires equilibration in controlled CO2 (e.g., 5%) for stable pH; phosphate components contribute additional buffering capacity.
• Variants and use:
  • Without Ca2+/Mg2+: Preferred for washing before trypsinization or chelation-based detachment; reduces cell–cell and cell–matrix adhesion.
  • With Ca2+/Mg2+: Better for maintaining physiological adhesion and membrane integrity during handling.
  • With glucose: Supports short-term viability during extended washing or handling steps.
  • With phenol red: Visual pH indicator; avoid if it interferes with optical assays.
• Practical tips:
  • Pre-equilibrate temperature and CO2 state before sensitive procedures (e.g., live-cell imaging).
  • Supplement with 0.1–1% BSA or serum for flow cytometry washes to minimize nonspecific binding (method-dependent).
  • For calcium-sensitive enzymes, confirm divalent ion content; add chelators (e.g., EDTA) only if compatible with downstream steps.

Preparation/recipes: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet. For powder forms in general, dissolve in ultrapure water to the specified volume and filter-sterilize; adjust pH/osmolality as directed by the formulation.

Green Alternatives

HBSS itself is an aqueous, nonflammable, and generally low-toxicity medium, aligning well with green chemistry principles when used as a biological buffer.

Context and alternatives (literature):

• Compared to organic solvents used in synthesis, HBSS has minimal environmental impact and low VOC emissions.
• For biological workflows, alternatives include DPBS/PBS and EBSS. Selection is driven by experimental need rather than environmental impact; all are water-based.

Small comparison (general, not item-specific):

• HBSS: Balanced salts approximating extracellular fluid; variants with glucose and divalent cations; suitable for short-term cell handling ex vivo.
• DPBS/PBS: Phosphate-buffered, typically without Ca2+/Mg2+; simpler ion profile; excellent for general washing.
• EBSS: Enhanced bicarbonate for CO2 incubators; favors pH stability under controlled CO2.

Trade-offs:

• Presence of Ca2+/Mg2+ in HBSS can be beneficial for cell physiology but may hinder enzymatic detachment; Ca2+/Mg2+-free HBSS or PBS reduces adhesion but may transiently stress some cells.
• Bicarbonate-buffered formulations require CO2 equilibrium; CO2-independent buffers (HEPES-containing media, not standard HBSS) can be greener in workflows that avoid CO2 gassing steps.

Disposal: Typically sewer-disposable if free of biohazards/chemicals and permitted by local regulations. Follow institutional biosafety and environmental policies.

Pharmaceutical Uses

This product is designated For research use only.

Contextual information (general, non-clinical):

• Balanced salt solutions like HBSS are commonly used as process buffers, rinse solutions, or hold media during upstream cell processing in research and development settings.
• In regulated manufacturing, analogous solutions may be prepared to pharmacopeial or internal specifications and qualified for in-process use. This SKU’s compliance to any pharmacopeia is not specified; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.
• Formulation role: Provides isotonicity and pH control for transient handling of biological materials (cells, tissues, biomolecules). Not intended as a therapeutic or final dosage formulation.

Notes for users in translational environments:

• If a GMP or clinical-grade material is required, source a lot with documented quality attributes (sterility, endotoxin, particulate, bioburden) and appropriate release testing; this RUO item is not intended for human or veterinary use.

Physical Properties

Item-specific specifications (BP, MP, density, pH, osmolarity): Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.

General/literature characteristics for HBSS (for context; not item specifications):

• Physical state: Aqueous solution, typically clear and colorless; may be light red if phenol red is included.
• Density: ~1.00 g/mL at 20–25 °C (literature; close to water depending on solute load).
• pH: Commonly adjusted to ~7.0–7.4 at 25 °C (literature; bicarbonate-CO2 systems show pH dependence on CO2).
• Osmolality/Osmolarity: Often in the range of ~280–320 mOsm/kg or mOsm/L (literature; isotonic with mammalian cells).
• Refractive index: ~1.333–1.335 at 20–25 °C (literature; near water).
• Boiling/Melting points: Governed by water; not practically relevant for use.
• Solubility: Water-based; completely miscible with water; not miscible with nonpolar organic solvents.

Notes for practitioners:

• If bicarbonate-buffered, pH will drift upon exposure to ambient CO2; equilibrate in target atmosphere (e.g., 5% CO2) before sensitive use.
• If calcium and magnesium are present, they can influence cell adhesion and certain enzyme activities; choose the appropriate variant per application.

Quality and Grades

• Grade/Purity (from Product Data): for Cell culture.

Interpretation and practical implications (general guidance; not item-specific specs):

• “For Cell culture” typically indicates sterile manufacture or sterile filtration, low bioburden/endotoxin, and performance suited to routine mammalian cell handling. Exact acceptance criteria (endotoxin limits, sterility assurance level, particulates, pH/osmolality ranges) are vendor-specific and should be verified on the CoA/Spec Sheet. Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.
• Additives: HBSS may be offered with or without Ca2+/Mg2+, glucose, bicarbonate, and phenol red. These compositional choices affect downstream performance (e.g., cell detachment vs. maintenance). The exact variant for SKU H476172 is not specified; confirm label/CoA.
• Packaging environment: Cell culture grade products are typically filled under clean conditions to minimize contamination risk.

What this means for your workflow:

• Use directly for washing cells, preparing single-cell suspensions, or as a tissue transport medium when the chosen variant matches your protocol needs.
• For sensitive applications (e.g., flow cytometry, primary cell isolation), confirm trace component profile (Ca/Mg, glucose, indicators, preservatives) and quality attributes on the certificate before use.

Reaction and Applications

HBSS is not a reagent for synthetic chemical reactions; its utility is in cell biology workflows where isotonicity and near-physiological pH are required.

Typical laboratory applications (literature; expand as relevant):

• Cell washing and resuspension: Rinse adherent or suspension cultures to remove serum/proteins before enzymatic detachment, staining, or imaging.
• Tissue processing: Serves as a cold transport medium and wash during tissue dissection prior to downstream digestion in enzyme cocktails (e.g., collagenase/dispase). Variants without Ca2+/Mg2+ can reduce cell–cell adhesion.
• Flow cytometry and cell sorting: Vehicle for antibody staining and washing steps; often supplemented with BSA or serum and sodium azide (if compatible). Composition should be validated per assay.
• Viral transduction/transfection handling: Used for washing and as a diluent outside transfection windows to minimize serum effects (method-dependent).
• Imaging: Provides a clear, low-autofluorescence medium for short-term live-cell imaging; buffering strategy should match atmospheric CO2 during imaging.
• Reagent preparation: Basal diluent for making enzyme or dye working solutions at physiological ionic strength.

Good practices:

• Pre-warm to 20–37 °C as required by cells, unless cold shock is intentional.
• Use Ca2+/Mg2+-free HBSS for trypsinization; use Ca2+/Mg2+-containing HBSS for maintaining adhesion-dependent processes.
• Maintain asepsis; discard if turbidity or pH drift is observed.

Reaction Conditions

Not applicable to chemical synthesis. HBSS is intended for biological handling steps rather than as a medium for chemical reactions.

Operational conditions in biological workflows (literature; for context only):

• Temperature: Commonly used cold (2–8 °C) to slow metabolism during tissue transport, or at ambient/37 °C for cell handling to maintain physiology.
• Atmosphere: Bicarbonate-containing HBSS should be equilibrated in target CO2 (e.g., 5%) to achieve stable pH; phosphate-only variants are less CO2-dependent.
• Contact times: Minutes to tens of minutes for washing, staining, or transport; prolonged incubation without nutrients is generally avoided.

For rigorous protocols, consult the specific method literature and align with the exact composition provided on the product CoA/label.

Safety and Handling

Hazard Information for this item:

• Signal word, GHS classification, H-statements, pictograms: Not specified for this item; refer to SDS.

General safety considerations for HBSS (literature/standard lab practice):

• HBSS is an aqueous salt solution formulated for laboratory use. While typically considered low hazard, always handle according to institutional biosafety and chemical hygiene policies.
• Personal protective equipment (PPE): Lab coat, gloves (nitrile), and safety glasses. Use aseptic technique for cell culture work.
• Storage incompatibilities: Avoid contamination with microbial agents. Keep separate from strong acids/bases only to prevent pH excursions; avoid contact with reactive metals if chloride-induced corrosion is a concern.
• First-aid overview: Rinse with water for eye/skin contact; if ingested or inhaled as aerosol, move to fresh air and seek medical attention as needed. Defer to SDS for authoritative guidance.
• Special risks: None of the common risks associated with volatile organics or strong corrosives. If phenol red is present, treat as mildly irritating dye. If sodium azide is present as a preservative in some formulations (not specified for this item), prevent contact with copper/lead plumbing.
• Aseptic handling: To maintain cell culture suitability, work in a biosafety cabinet and avoid multiple freeze–thaw or repeated warming cycles that may promote contamination.

Solvent Selection

As an aqueous buffered saline, HBSS functions as a biologically compatible diluent rather than an organic reaction solvent.

• Polarity/miscibility: Fully water-based; completely miscible with water; immiscible with nonpolar organic solvents. Not intended for synthetic organic extractions or catalysis.
• Buffering system (literature): Typically phosphate and bicarbonate provide pH control around neutrality; pH depends on CO2 atmosphere. Variants without bicarbonate rely on phosphate only.
• When to choose HBSS vs. alternatives:
  • Choose HBSS for maintaining cells during manipulation outside the incubator, where balanced salts and optional glucose support short-term viability.
  • Prefer DPBS/PBS when calcium and magnesium must be strictly absent (e.g., with trypsinization) or when CO2-independent buffering is desired.
  • Consider EBSS for bicarbonate-heavy systems designed for 5% CO2 incubation.
• Practical comparison (literature, general):
  • HBSS: Balanced ions; variants with/without Ca2+/Mg2+; supports short-term handling; often includes glucose.
  • DPBS: Phosphate-buffered saline without divalent cations; commonly used for washing/dilution when Ca2+/Mg2+ are undesirable.
  • EBSS: Higher bicarbonate; optimized for CO2 incubators.

Note: Exact composition of SKU H476172 is not specified; consult the product label/CoA to match your application.

Storage and Reconstitution

• Storage Conditions (from Product Data): Store at 2–8 °C.
• Shipped In (from Product Data): Wet ice.

Item-specific details (appearance, concentration, reconstitution): Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.

General handling guidance for HBSS (literature/practice; not item-specific):

• Liquid solutions: Store at 2–8 °C. Protect from light if phenol red is present to minimize photodegradation and dye-related pH drift. Do not freeze unless the label permits; freezing may cause precipitation of salts or container damage.
• Asepsis: Minimize repeated room-temperature exposure and cap openings. If sterility is compromised or turbidity appears, discard.
• Warming: Bring to use temperature (ambient or 37 °C) just before application; avoid prolonged warming to limit microbial growth risk.
• CO2 equilibration: For bicarbonate-buffered formulations, equilibrate in the intended CO2 atmosphere before use to stabilize pH.
• Powder forms (if supplied as such; not specified for this SKU): Reconstitute with ultrapure water to the indicated final volume, adjust pH/osmolality per instructions, and filter-sterilize through 0.22 μm membrane. Label with preparation date and store per instructions.

Shelf life: Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.

Structure and Identity

Hanks′ Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS) is a defined aqueous inorganic salt solution formulated to maintain osmotic balance and physiological pH for cells outside their normal environment.

• SKU: H476172
• Product name: Hanks′ Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS)
• CAS, CID, InChIKey, SMILES: Not applicable to this multi-component solution; Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.
• Molecular formula / Molecular weight: Not applicable for a mixture; Not specified for this item; refer to CoA/Spec Sheet.

Structural/Compositional features (literature; exact composition varies by formulation and vendor):

• Typical inorganic salts: NaCl, KCl, CaCl2 (or CaCl2·2H2O), MgSO4 (or MgCl2), NaH2PO4/Na2HPO4 and/or KH2PO4 for phosphate buffering, NaHCO3 for CO2-dependent buffering.
• Optional components: D-glucose (dextrose) as an energy source; phenol red as a pH indicator.
• Variants: with/without Ca2+ and Mg2+; with/without phenol red; with/without glucose; bicarbonate concentrations tuned for ambient air or 5% CO2.

2D “structure” description in words:

• A clear, colorless to red-tinged (if phenol red present) aqueous solution containing small inorganic ions at physiological ionic strength (~0.15 M total salts, literature) that collectively approximate extracellular fluid tonicity and buffering capacity. No discrete single-molecule structure applies.

Synthetic Utility

Not typically applicable. HBSS is not used as a reagent or solvent for organic synthesis or classical inorganic transformations. It is an aqueous buffered saline designed for biological handling.

If an aqueous matrix is required in a chemical context:

• Consider using defined buffer systems (e.g., phosphate, HEPES) with known concentrations and pH for kinetic or catalysis studies, rather than HBSS, to avoid unknown influences from divalent cations or bicarbonate.
• For biomolecule conjugation or labeling, choose buffers that exclude reactive components (e.g., avoid primary amines or azide if they interfere with your chemistry). HBSS composition varies by variant; verify components if attempting any chemical derivatization adjacent to biological workflows.

Target Specificity

Not applicable. HBSS is a balanced salt solution and does not have a molecular target, antigen, or isotype characteristics. No clone or species reactivity applies.