Storage of media and requirements for media bottles

 The medium refers to the nutrient environment that artificially simulates the growth of cells in the body, and supplies the growth and reproduction of microorganisms, plants or animals (or tissues), and is a nutrient matrix prepared by combining different nutrients. How should the medium be stored and what are the requirements for the media bottles?

The storage of the medium should follow the following principles:

1. Commercial medium should be stored according to the requirements in the instruction manual. The label of the medium should be marked with the batch number, production date, expiration date and the relevant characteristics of the medium. The storage and transport conditions employed should minimize the loss of moisture from the medium and provide mechanical protection.

2. The prepared medium should be stored at 2~25℃ in a dark environment. If it is stored in a non-airtight container, it is generally used within three weeks; if it is stored in a closed container, it is generally used within one year. The agar medium should not be stored at or below 0 °C to prevent freezing from damaging the gel properties. If the medium is to be stored for a long time, the agar plates should be tightly packaged or placed in an airtight container to prevent water loss. 

3. The medium should be taken out immediately after sterilization, and should not be stored in an autoclave to avoid affecting the quality of the medium. The prepared medium should be stored at 2-25°C in a dark environment.

4. Store in an airtight container to prevent moisture loss and prolong storage time.

5. The re-melting of the solid medium after sterilization should be carried out in a heated water bath or using circulating steam, only one time is allowed, and the melted medium should be placed in a water bath at 45-50 °C for no more than 8 hours.

The medium is mainly used in cell culture. Due to the relatively high requirements for the required environment for cell growth, in order to ensure that the medium is not contaminated, the medium bottle is generally sterilized by electron beams, so as to be free of DNase, RNase, and No heat source. In order to facilitate the observation of the capacity of the medium, the raw materials of the media bottles are mainly polyester materials with high transparency, and specific scales will be marked on the bottle body.

As an important nutrient for cell growth, whether the medium is well stored is related to the normal growth of cells. When selecting a media bottle, special attention should be paid to whether it meets the storage requirements of the medium.