The use of animal-derived products increases ethical concerns, variability between batches, and risks of contamination. These products also hinder reproducibility, complicate regulatory compliance, and impact the quality of your research.
In 2016, the term ‘New Approach Methodologies (NAMs)’ was coined for the use of modern, non-animal, human-relevant scientific tools and technologies to evaluate the safety of chemicals, drugs, and consumer products. The importance of adopting these practices has recently been accelerated by the worldwide integration of NAMs into regulatory frameworks since 2023.
By moving away from animal-derived components, you can significantly reduce variability and improve the consistency of your experiments. These advanced, ethical alternatives promote better outcomes and support more sustainable and scalable research practices.
However, we understand that changing from tried-and-true methods can be daunting. At Caltag, we offer a range of animal- and xeno-free products from trusted suppliers to support your research. Read on to learn more and gain knowledge to make the switch.
The Definitions
- Xeno-Free: a product contains no materials from non-human sources, but it can still include human-derived components.
- Animal-Free (usually referring to Animal Component-Free (ACF)): the final product contains no materials derived from any animal or human source, but animal-derived materials may still have been used during manufacturing.
- Animal-Origin Free (AOF): the product and manufacturing process contain no materials derived from any animal or human source.
- Chemically Defined: every ingredient is known and specified, but does not automatically mean the product is animal-free, although they often are.
Contents
Animal-Free (ACF & AOF)
- Scaffolds
- Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) Replacement
- Cell Culture Media and Supplements
- Recombinant Proteins
Xeno-Free
Animal-Free (ACF & AOF)
1. Scaffolds
Gelatex’s mission is to enable researchers to maintain the in vivo morphology of cells and improve the relevance of research.
Gelatex is the manufacturer of Gelacell™, a non-woven, highly porous nanofiber-based scaffold produced using halospinning technology – the fastest and most cost-effective solution-spinning process.
Gelacell™ is designed with a unique nanofibrous structure that closely mimics the natural extracellular matrix. Gelacell™ offers exceptional biocompatibility and non-toxicity across a variety of cell types and has uses in long term 3D cell culture platforms, short to medium term 3D cell culture platforms and tissue engineering/organoid scaffolds.
2. Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) Replacement
Serum remains a major source of variability in cell culture, with undefined components, batch-to-batch differences, ethical concerns and supply instability.
Whilst many serum-free alternatives exist, they are often highly specialised or difficult to adopt. Media City Scientific offers a different option – a chemically defined, animal-free alternative to Foetal Bovine Serum (FBS) for cell culture: FRSTM (Foetal Bovine Serum Replacement Solution) Pioneer.
FRSTM Pioneer has been designed in collaboration with a wide variety of scientists to ensure seamless integration in place of FBS – whatever that looks like for you.
- Provides a cleaner background for assays & applications, e.g. exosome capture
- Grows a wide range of immortalised cell lines
- Supports suspension and adherent systems
- Defined composition – control the presence/absence of cytokines and hormones
- Replaces up to 90% of serum in more nutritionally demanding primary or organoid cell culture systems
- Contaminant-free, defined inputs align with regulatory demands and simplify downstream planning for clinical settings
3. Cell Culture Media and Supplements
CELLnTEC is a pioneering developer of chemically defined, animal-free, and serum-free cell culture systems. They develop high-performance, precision media for human primary cells, stem cells, iPSCs, and advanced in vitro 3D models.
Their products eliminate animal components, supporting ethical, human-relevant, and regulatory-compliant science and ensure reproducibility, consistency, and clinical readiness. CELLnTEC’s products are trusted worldwide by biotech, pharma, and academic research labs.
Their Higher Certified (HC) product versions enable a seamless transition to clinical trials due to the chemically defined compositions, component traceability & additional QC testing.
ScienCell Research Laboratories is an expanding biotechnology company established in 1999 with the mission to research and develop cell products for experimental use.
ScienCell provides a variety of high quality normal human and animal cells, cell culture media and reagents, gene analysis tools, cell-derived molecular biology products, transfection reagents, cell-based assay kits, and stem cell products for the research community.
Among their vast catalogue of products are animal component free formulations of cell culture media and supplements for Fibroblasts, Keratinocytes, Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Hematopoietic Cells. Additionally, their cryopreservation medium, StemCryo™, is chemically defined, serum-free, and animal component-free.
Procell are committed to providing high-quality, reliable cell culture solutions designed to support stable cell growth and optimal performance across a broad spectrum of cell types. Backed by extensive validation and cutting-edge research, their products ensure consistent results and minimal variability.
Procell provides a range of cell culture media and supplements, developed without animal origin ingredients, for Hybridomas, Vero Cells, CHO Cells, HEK293 Cells, Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells, as well as a Freezing Medium.
Since 1993, Biopredic International has been supporting life science research with their catalogue of high quality primary hepatocytes, HepaRG® cell model, and other liver-derived products, skin samples, skin cells, and subcellular fractions, blood products, including whole blood, serum, plasma, and other products such as biofluids and non-standard human and animal tissues.
To support their vast portfolio of skin samples, Biopredic offers a skin culture media without animal components, ensuring consistent biological relevance for human skin models.
Xcell Therapeutics is a leading provider of advanced cell culture solutions, dedicated to supporting the biotechnology industry’s research, development, and expansion of cells.
Recognising the critical importance of a well-optimised culture environment, XCell Therapeutics developed CellCor™, a series of Chemically Defined (CD) media that is Animal Component Free (ACF) and Animal Origin Free (AOF).
Made under GMP-compliant conditions, CellCor™ ensures consistency & reliability, helping you achieve your cell culture objectives more successfully.
4. Recombinant Proteins
AdipoGen Life Sciences are experts on Inflammation & Immune Responses with products on the following research areas: inflammasomes, innate immunity, B & T cells immune regulation, neuroinflammation, obesity & metabolic diseases, immuno-oncology, and bacterial & viral infection.
Developed in house by AdipoGen, InVivoKines™ are a new generation of recombinant fusion proteins for immunotherapeutic, preclinical and translational in vivo research, produced under animal-free conditions. InVivoKines™ are Fc-based fusion proteins using the Knobs-into-Holes (KIH) technology.
InVivoKines™ Quality Features:
- Native Conformation − Production in HEK 293 or CHO Cells
- High Bioactivity tested by ELISA/Cell-based Assays
- Verified Purity & Homogeneity by SEC
- Low Endotoxin Levels
- Batch-to-Batch Consistency
ORF Genetics, is a global leader in the production of bioactive, animal-free recombinant Growth Factors and Cytokines, leveraging their proprietary barley-seed expression system to build the Premium ISOkine product range. The ISOkine range is developed specifically for stem cell and cell-based therapies research, regenerative medicine, and organoid production.
Features of the ISOkine range
- Animal-component-free production
- Endotoxin-undetectable quality profile
- Exceptional batch-to-batch consistency
- Superior bioactivity enabled by authentic glycosylation and post-translational modifications
- Xeno-free composition
- Zero cross-contamination with other growth factors and cytokines
- Produced under ISO 9001:2015
- Ships with full lot-specific CoA including batch-specific bioassay data, CoO, TSE/BSE declaration, and REACH compliance
ProSci is a leader in antibody development, providing researchers worldwide with innovative tools to push the boundaries of biomedical science. For nearly three decades, ProSci have been at the forefront of antibody development, production, and biological research.
In ProSci’s portfolio of recombinant proteins are a selection that have been produced in E.coli using animal component-free medium.
Xeno-Free
1. Matrices and Cells
Metatissue are focused on chemically modified human-derived proteins to create predictive and truly translatable 3D biological in vitro models.
Metatissue uses ethically sourced human Methacryloyl Platelet Lysates (hPLMA), to produce biomaterials (hydrogels, sponges & bioinks) with mechanically tunable properties for 3D cell culture, cancer research, disease modelling, stem cell research and tissue engineering.
hPLMA Photopolymerisable hydrogels provide great control over gelation time and matrix stiffness, enabling you to create the cell culture environment that better fits your project’s needs.
When culturing cells on ordinary tissue culture plastic (TCP), it is common for them to behave unnaturally or even die, making it difficult to obtain high-quality cells in large numbers.
Dr. Xiao-Dong Chen, a tenured professor at UT Health San Antonio, and his company, StemBioSys®, have the solution – their CELLvo™ Matrix technology, an advanced stem cell culture system which replicates the 3-dimensional environment where stem cells naturally reside and proliferate!
StemBioSys’ CELLvo™ matrices are the only substrates that aim to recapitulate biochemical, structural & mechanical cues by leaving the ECM intact. These matrices are derived from human bone marrow cells, creating a biologically relevant culture environment by providing all the cues cells expect to receive in vivo.
The CELLvoTM Matrix is available as a xeno-free version, which is made without exposure to animal proteins, along with Mesenchymal Stem Cells which are isolated and cryopreserved in 100% xeno-free conditions on the CELLvoTM XF Matrix.
2. Cell Culture Media and Supplements
Lifeline® Cell Technology (Lifeline®) specialises in the development and manufacture of purified primary human cells and optimised reagents for cell culture. Lifeline® is an industry leader, providing unequaled value through meticulous quality testing, constant innovation, and a passion to provide the best customer and technical care.
Their xeno-free media eliminates non-human animal-derived components (such as fetal bovine serum or bovine extracts), providing consistency and safety for your downstream application demands.
Lifeline’s® lineup of top xeno-free media and reagents, designed for high-performance primary cell culture consists of FibroLife Xeno Free Fibroblast Frozen Medium, FrostaLife™ Xeno-Free Cryopreservation Solution, Human Dermal Fibroblasts – Neonatal Xeno-Free, Phosphate Buffered Saline Xeno-Free, and a selection of Trypsin Reagents.
Cell Systems is focused on the development and manufacturing of the highest standard research tools for the science of cell biology. They provide human primary cells, media, and reagents to aid in the understanding of cell biology and discovery of treatments for all varieties of human conditions.
Cell Systems’ OptiCulture™ Serum-Free series is a specialised chemically defined media engineered for applications where environmental precision and biological consistency are non-negotiable.
OptiCulture™ Serum-Free Medium-RH eliminates all non-human animal-derived components, making it the premier choice for researchers focused on clinical compatibility and reproducibility. Designed to support a broad spectrum of cell types, including endothelial cells and epithelial cells, it provides a nutrient-rich environment that promotes functional phenotype expression and barrier integrity for xeno-free barrier models, neurovascular unit models, organoids and co-cultures, disease modeling and drug screening.
iXCells Biotechnologies is a cell biology and cell technology company dedicated to providing innovative pre-clinical drug discovery solutions with the focus on disease relevant cellular models to accelerate the pace of drug discovery. iXCells offers access to high quality primary and iPSC derived cells, custom iPSC services, functional bioassay development and execution.
iXCells’ Human iPSC Xeno-Free Growth Medium is a xeno-free and feeder-free medium specially formulated for the growth and expansion of human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). It is suitable to be used to scale up production of iPSCs and shown to support iPSC growth for >50 passages without any signs of karyotypic abnormalities, along with maintaining the ability of iPSCs to differentiate into all three germ line lineages.
Along with their Animal-Free product range, XCell Therapeutics also provide CellCor™ T XF, a xeno-free, serum-free media for human T cell activation.
CellCor™ T XF Advantages:
- No need for additional serum or serum replacements
- Manufactured in a GMP-compliant facility
- Low donor-to-donor variation
- High proliferation and viability
- Enriched effector and activated T cell populations
- Reliable batch-to-batch consistency
Caltag is the distributor of these products in the UK and Ireland. If you would like a sample of these products, or have any questions, please contact us.