Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) is a widely used cell culture medium designed to support the growth of mammalian cells in vitro. It was developed by Italian-American virologist Renato Dulbecco and American biologist Marguerite Vogt in the late 1950s, as an adaptation of the earlier Eagle’s Minimal Essential Medium (MEM) formulated by Harry Eagle.
DMEM is a nutrient-rich medium containing a variety of essential components for cell growth, including:
- Amino acids: The building blocks of proteins, required for protein synthesis and cellular function.
- Vitamins: Essential micronutrients that serve as cofactors for various enzymes and support cellular metabolism.
- Inorganic salts: Necessary for maintaining osmotic balance, pH, and providing essential ions for various cellular processes.
- Glucose: A primary energy source for cells, used in cellular respiration to produce ATP.
- Other components: Depending on the specific formulation, DMEM may also contain additional supplements, such as pyruvate, non-essential amino acids, and stable glutamine (GlutaMAX™) to further support cell growth and metabolism.
DMEM is typically supplemented with fetal bovine serum (FBS) or another animal serum, which provides additional growth factors, hormones, and proteins that support cell growth and proliferation. Antibiotics, such as penicillin and streptomycin, may also be added to the medium to prevent bacterial contamination.
Dulbecco’s MEM is used for culturing a wide range of mammalian cell types, including fibroblasts, epithelial cells, and various cell lines derived from human and animal tissues. It is commonly employed in research laboratories, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical industries for studies of cell biology, molecular biology, cancer research, and the production of recombinant proteins and viruses.
