Human Serum
Mixed donors, Type AB, off-the-clot and male-only – human serum from certified EU and US donor centres. This page covers the mixed-donor grade; every other grade is one click away in the quick selection below. Heat inactivated or gamma irradiated on request. No minimum order.
Buy human serum from our EU stock
Request a quote or a free test sample – EU stock, no minimum order, lot reservation up to 36 months.
Quick selection — find the right human serum grade
Cost-Effective
The most economical human serum grade — suited to general culture and assay work without strict donor-type requirements.
EU & US Origin
Collected at certified donor centres in the EU and USA — fully documented and traceable per batch. CoA, CoO and MSDS included.
HI or GI on Request
Heat Inactivated (56°C, 30 min) or Gamma Irradiated available for complement-sensitive or higher biosafety applications.
No Minimum Order
From 100 mL evaluation volumes to bulk litres — batch reservation available, no prepayment required.
The flexible entry point into human serum
Human Serum (Mixed Donors) is the standard starting point when blood-type neutrality, off-the-clot processing, or donor-gender consistency are not required by the protocol. Collected from a broad pooled donor population at certified EU and US donation centres, this grade delivers the core physiological composition of human serum — growth factors, transport proteins, hormones, immunoglobulins and trace elements — at the most accessible price point in our range.
Unlike fetal bovine serum (FBS), human serum is species-matched to human cells. This eliminates the risk of xenogenic immune reactions and provides a physiological environment closer to in vivo conditions — particularly relevant for primary human cell lines, immune cell cultures, and any application where regulatory bodies are moving away from animal-derived components.
For applications that specifically require the absence of anti-A and anti-B antibodies, a defined hormonal background, or maximum growth factor content from off-the-clot collection, our Human Serum Type AB, Human Serum Male and Human Serum OTC grades offer tighter specification. For a full comparison see our FBS vs. Human Serum guide.
Typical applications
- General human cell culture — primary cells, established lines (HeLa, HEK293, Jurkat)
- Diagnostic assay development without strict matrix requirements
- Teaching and training laboratories — cost-sensitive protocols
- Method development and initial screening before switching to tighter-spec serum
- Hybridoma culture and antibody production (mixed donor, non-AB)
- Virology research — human cell line maintenance
- Toxicology and cytotoxicity assays using human cell matrices
- Pilot-scale process development before committing to a premium grade
Human Serum Standard vs. other grades — when to upgrade
| Grade | Processing | Blood Type | Donor Gender | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Human Serum Standard (this product) | Clotted (converted) | Mixed | Mixed | General culture, cost-sensitive assay work, screening |
| Human Serum OTC | Off-the-clot | Mixed | Mixed | Applications needing higher growth factor content |
| Human Serum Male | Clotted | Mixed | Male only | Hormone-sensitive assays, reduced cycle variability |
| Human Serum Type AB | Clotted | AB only | Mixed | No anti-A/B antibodies — immunoassays, cell culture |
| Human Serum OTC Type AB Male | Off-the-clot | AB only | Male only | CAR-T, NK cell, ATMP — maximum specification |
| Human Serum Delipidated | Delipidated | Mixed | Mixed | Lipemia interference studies, lipid-free assay matrix |
Product information
- Product type: Human Serum, Clotted (Converted)
- Blood type: Mixed pool — no blood type restriction
- Donor gender: Mixed — male and female donors
- Origin: EU and/or US — certified donor centres
- Sterile filtration: 0.2 µm
- Viral screening: HIV-1/2, HBsAg, HCV, Syphilis — negative
- Volumes: 100 mL · 500 mL · bulk on request
- Packaging: Bottle standard · bag on request
- Storage: −20°C
- Documentation: CoA, CoO, MSDS — included
- Minimum order: No minimum order quantity
Available on request
- Heat Inactivated (HI) — 56°C, 30 min, complement depleted
- Gamma Irradiated (GI) — pathogen inactivation
- Low Endotoxin specification
- Donor age specification (e.g. 18–40 years)
- Bag packaging for large volumes
- ATMP-relevant documentation (Ph. Eur. 5.2.12)
- Batch reservation — no prepayment, up to 36 months
- Bulk quantities ≥1 L — quote on request
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between clotted (converted) serum and off-the-clot serum?
Clotted (converted) serum is produced from pooled donor plasma by adding calcium chloride or thrombin to induce clotting. The clot is removed by centrifugation, leaving the serum. Off-the-clot (OTC) serum is produced from whole blood allowed to clot naturally without anticoagulants — during natural clotting, platelets degranulate and release additional growth factors (PDGF, TGF-β, EGF) into the serum. OTC serum therefore typically contains higher and more diverse growth factor concentrations. For general cell culture where maximum growth factor content is not critical, converted serum performs equivalently at lower cost. See Human Serum OTC for the off-the-clot equivalent.
Why use human serum instead of FBS for human cell culture?
Fetal bovine serum contains bovine-specific growth factors, hormones and proteins that can trigger xenogenic immune responses in human cells — an effect that does not occur with human serum. Human serum also more closely replicates the in vivo biochemical environment for human cell lines, which can improve reproducibility in physiologically relevant experiments. Regulatory agencies and cell therapy guidelines are increasingly requesting justification for any animal-derived component; human serum removes this hurdle. For a full comparison see our FBS vs. Human Serum guide.
When should I choose Human Serum Standard vs. Type AB?
Human Serum Standard (mixed donors) contains anti-A and anti-B alloantibodies from non-AB donors in the pool. For most general cell culture applications this is not a problem. However, if you are working with immune cells (T cells, NK cells, macrophages), conducting immunological assays, or running applications where blood-group-specific antibody reactivity could interfere, Human Serum Type AB — which lacks anti-A and anti-B antibodies entirely — is the correct choice. If unsure, contact us and we can advise based on your specific protocol.
Is Heat Inactivated human serum available?
Yes. Heat Inactivated (HI) human serum — treated at 56°C for 30 minutes to inactivate complement proteins — is available on request for this grade. HI serum is preferred for complement-sensitive applications including hybridoma culture, mixed lymphocyte reactions, and immunological assays where complement-mediated cell lysis would confound results. Specify HI at time of order.
How do I adapt cells from FBS to human serum?
A stepwise adaptation is recommended to avoid culture shock. Start by supplementing your medium with 5% FBS + 5% human serum for 4–6 days. Then reduce to 2% FBS + 8% human serum for a further passage. Finally switch to 100% human serum at the standard working concentration (typically 5–10%). Optimal concentration should be validated per cell line. Free test volumes are available on request — contact info@seamlessbio.de.
What documentation is included with every lot?
Every lot ships with a Certificate of Analysis (CoA), Certificate of Origin (CoO) and Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). The CoA includes viral screening results (HIV-1/2, HBsAg, HCV, Syphilis — all negative), sterility confirmation, and key physicochemical parameters. Additional documentation — ATMP-relevant statements per Ph. Eur. 5.2.12, donor demographic summaries — is available on request.
Where can I buy human serum in Europe?
SeamlessBio ships human serum from EU stock to Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the rest of the EU – with no minimum order, CoA and certificate of origin. Swiss customers order via Seamless Bio GmbH with invoicing in CHF.
How long can a human serum lot be reserved?
Up to 36 months, without prepayment. Test a sample first, then we store your reserved lot and ship partial quantities as you need them.
Which human serum is right for my application?
Mixed donors for general cell culture and assay development; Type AB for immunoassays, PBMC and ELISpot; off-the-clot when you need the full growth factor profile; male-only donors for hormone-sensitive assays. For coagulation work, use human plasma.
Is human serum better than FBS for human cells?
For primary human cells, immune cells and ATMP work, usually yes: it is species-matched and free of xenogeneic proteins. For established cell lines, FBS often remains sufficient. See our comparison FBS vs. human serum.
Need a test volume for your protocol?
Contact our team for batch availability, documentation and a free test volume of Human Serum — no minimum order, no prepayment required.
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