MethoCult™ Semi-Solid Methylcellulose-Based Media

Detect & Quantify Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells in Colony-Forming Unit (CFU) Assays

MethoCult™ is a line of semi-solid methylcellulose-based media formulated to promote optimal growth and differentiation of hematopoietic progenitor cells in culture. MethoCult™ is the “Gold Standard” for the in vitro detection and quantification of hematopoietic progenitor cells in the colony-forming unit (CFU) or cell (CFC) assay, also known as the methylcellulose assay. A wide range of MethoCult™ media formulations are available for CFU assays with hematopoietic cells from human and mouse tissues. Select formulations can also be used with hematopoietic cells derived from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) or from other species, specifically rats, non-human primates and dogs.

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Why Use MethoCult™ Media?

  • Prepared using carefully screened components.
  • Rigorous performance testing, ensuring superior lot-to-lot reproducibility.
  • Available in ready-to-use formulations to identify and enumerate total CFUs, erythroid (CFU-E and BFU-E), granulocyte/macrophage (CFU-GM, CFU-G and CFU-M) and multi-lineage (CFU-GEMM) progenitors.
  • Also available in formulations that allow the researcher to add components of choice. Custom formulations and sizes are available on request.

MethoCult™ Media Formulations for Human Hematopoietic Cells

Serum-Containing

Formats:

  • 80-100 mL bottles
  • 3 mL x 24 tubes

Contains Serum:

Yes

Contains Cytokines:

Available with or without recombinant cytokines added

Tissues:

  • Cord blood
  • Bone marrow
  • Peripheral blood
  • Leukapheresis products
  • Purified or cultured HSPCs

Applications:

  • Express - faster CFU assay for cord blood banks
  • Classic - original formulation for historical protocols
  • Optimum - improved distinction of myeloid colony subtypes
  • Enriched - for purified or cultured HSPCs, LTC-IC assays
  • Supports the growth of myeloid (CFU-G/M/GM), mixed (CFU-GEMM) and/or erythroid (CFU-E/BFU-E) colonies

Features:

  • Formulated with or without EPO
  • Compatible with STEMvision™ instrument for automated and standardized counting of CFU assays
  • Proficiency testing available

Serum-Free

Formats:

80-100 mL bottles

Contains Serum:

No

Contains Cytokines:

Available with or without recombinant cytokines added

Tissues:

  • Cord blood
  • Bone marrow
  • Peripheral blood
  • Leukapheresis products
  • Purified or cultured HSPCs
  • hPSC-derived cells

Applications:

  • Assays where a medium of defined composition is required
  • Supports the growth of myeloid (CFU-G/M/GM) colonies with or without the presence of mixed (CFU-GEMM) colonies

Features:

  • Completely serum-free and defined
  • Formulated with or without EPO or other cytokines

With Conditioned Medium

Formats:

  • 100 mL bottle

Contains Serum:

Yes

Contains Cytokines:

Conditioned media with or without recombinant EPO

Tissues:

  • Cord blood
  • Bone marrow
  • Peripheral blood
  • Leukapheresis products
  • Purified or cultured HSPCs

Applications:

  • Assays which use agar-leukocyte conditioned medium (Agar-LCM) as a source of colony stimulating factors
  • Supports the growth of myeloid (CFU-G/M/GM), mixed (CFU-GEMM) and/or erythroid (CFU-E/BFU-E) colonies

Features:

  • Contains serum and supplements
  • Formulated with or without EPO

Base Methylcellulose

Format:

40 mL bottle

Contains Serum:

No

Contains Cytokines:

No

Tissues:

  • Cord blood
  • Bone marrow
  • Peripheral blood
  • Leukapheresis Products
  • Purified or cultured HSPCs

Applications:

Serum-free, cytokine-free formulation suitable for testing sera or cytokines

Features:

  • Complete flexibility to add individual cytokines and supplements
  • Base methylcellulose 2.6% stock solution in Iscove’s MDM
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Unsure Which MethoCult™ Formulation is Right for You?

For robust colony growth in the CFU assay, the most optimal MethoCult™ formulation will depend on your starting cell source. Use our Interactive Product Finder to determine which formulation is best for your experiment, and generate a complete materials list for your CFU assay.

Use the Interactive Product Finder >

MethoCult™ Media Formulations for Mouse Hematopoietic Cells and Cells Isolated From Other Species

Serum-Containing

MethoCult™ Serum-Containing

Formats:

  • 90 mL or 100 mL bottles
  • 3 mL x 24 tubes

Contains Serum:

Yes

Contains Cytokines:

Available with or without recombinant cytokines added

Tissues:

  • Bone marrow
  • Peripheral blood
  • Spleen
  • Fetal liver

Applications:

Supports the clonogenic growth of myeloid (CFU-G/M/GM), mixed (CFU-GEMM) and/or erythroid (CFU-E/BFU-E) progenitor cells

Features:

  • Formulations with or without EPO
  • Select formulations compatible with STEMvision™ instrument for automated and standardized counting of CFU assays

Serum-Free

MethoCult™ Serum-Free

Format:

100 mL bottle

Contains Serum:

No

Contains Cytokines:

With recombinant cytokines added

Tissues:

  • Bone marrow
  • Peripheral blood
  • Spleen
  • Fetal liver

Applications:

Supports the clonogenic growth of erythroid (BFU-E) progenitor cells

Features:

  • Formulated with EPO
  • Compatible with STEMvision™ instrument for automated and standardized counting of CFU assays

Base Methylcellulose

MethoCult™ Base Methylcellulose

Formats:

80 mL or 40 mL bottles

Contains Serum:

No

Contains Cytokines:

No

Tissues:

  • Bone marrow
  • Peripheral blood
  • Spleen
  • Fetal liver

Applications:

Serum-free, cytokine-free formulation suitable for testing sera or cytokines

Features:

  • Complete flexibility to add individual cytokines and supplements
  • Base methylcellulose 2.6% stock solution in Iscove’s MDM

Other Species

Format:

100 mL bottle

Contains Serum:

Yes

Contains Cytokines:

With recombinant cytokines added

Tissues:

  • Rat bone marrow
  • Non-human primate bone marrow, peripheral blood and purified HSPCs

Applications:

  • Quantitation of rat myeloid (CFU-GM/G/M) or erythroid (CFU-E/BFU-E) progenitor cells
  • Quantitation of non-human primate myeloid (CFU-GM), mixed (CFU-GEMM) and/or erythroid (CFU-E/BFU-E) progenitor cells

Features:

  • Rat GF R3774 formulation is optimized for detection of rat granulocyte/macrophage progenitor cells
  • Mouse SF M3436 formulation is suitable for growth and enumeration of rat erythroid progenitors
  • Many human Classic, Optimum and Enriched formulations are suitable for use with non-human primate samples
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Data

Human Cord Blood Colonies Plated in MethoCult™ Optimum H4034, Imaged on STEMvision™ Instrument

Figure 1. Human Cord Blood Colonies Plated in MethoCult™ Optimum H4034, Imaged on STEMvision™ Instrument

Mouse Bone Marrow Colonies Plated in MethoCult™ GF M3434, Imaged on STEMvision™ Instrument

Figure 2. Mouse Bone Marrow Colonies Plated in MethoCult™ GF M3434, Imaged on STEMvision™ Instrument


STEMvision™ CFU Counting Instrument

Automate and Standardize CFU Assay Counting

Ensure accurate and reproducible CFU assay results by using STEMvision™, a bench-top instrument and computer system for automated imaging and counting of hematopoietic colonies.

Learn More >

Brand History

Both STEMCELL and MethoCult™ grew out of the Media Preparation Service of the Terry Fox Laboratory for Hematology/Oncology Research at the British Columbia Cancer Agency. Now more than 20 years later, MethoCult™ is the most published methylcellulose-based medium for use in hematopoietic CFU assays.

CFU Assay Resources

Explore our resources for information and support on setting up, optimizing, and standardizing the CFU assay.


Key Applications and Related Publications

Studying Effects of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Regulators on Normal Hematopoietic Progenitor Cell Proliferation and Differentiation

Studying Effects of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Regulators on Malignant Hematopoietic Progenitor Cell Proliferation and Differentiation

Quality Control of Cryopreservation, Cell Processing and Ex Vivo Manipulation Procedures

Evaluating Hematopoietic Differentiation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

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