RPMI 1640
Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI) 1640 Medium – Multiple Configurations
RPMI 1640, classic cell culture medium
RUO (P04-17500) · GMP grade available (CT-16500)
RPMI 1640 was developed at the Roswell Park Memorial Institute for the culture of normal and neoplastic leukocytes, and also supports bone-marrow and hybridoma cells in suspension or as a monolayer. Supplemented with varying amounts of FBS it becomes a very good medium for many different cell lines. RPMI 1640 contains biotin, vitamin B12 and PABA – which are not present in Eagle’s MEM or DMEM – as well as high concentrations of inositol and choline, and contains no proteins, lipids or growth factors. It is offered in several configurations differing in glutamine form, HEPES and phenol red, so you can match the formulation to your protocol.
RPMI 1640 – available RUO and GMP. The classic medium for suspension leukocyte, hybridoma and lymphoid cell culture; a matched GMP grade is available for manufacturing workflows.
Why RPMI 1640
- Classic formulation – the established RPMI 1640 recipe for reliable, reproducible culture.
- Glutamine options – available as with L-glutamine, with stable glutamine, glutamine-free, with 2 mM L-glutamine.
- Glucose choice – standard and high-glucose options for different energy demands.
- GMP available – matched GMP grade CT-16500 for manufacturing.
Formulation at a glance
| Type | Classic basal medium (RPMI 1640) |
| Developed for | Normal & neoplastic leukocytes, marrow, hybridoma cells |
| Distinctive components | Biotin, vitamin B12, PABA; high inositol & choline |
| Proteins/lipids/growth factors | None |
| Buffer | 2.0 g/L NaHCO3 (HEPES options available) |
| Format | Liquid, sterile-filtered |
| Storage | +2 °C to +8 °C (stability 2 years) |
Ordering & grades
| Grade | Article No. | Glucose | L-Glutamine | Other | Size | Use | To Shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RUO | P04-17500 | 2.0 g/L | w/o | 500 ml | Research use | ||
| RUO | P04-18000 | 2.0 g/L | w/o | 25 mM HEPES | 500 ml | Research use | |
| RUO | P04-16100 | 2.0 g/L | with | 100 ml | Research use | ||
| P04-165001 | 1000 ml | ||||||
| P04-16500 | 500 ml | ||||||
| GMP | CT-16500 | 500 ml | GMP-compliant, on request | ||||
| RUO | P04-16515 | 2.0 g/L | with | w/o phenol red | 500 ml | Research use | |
| RUO | P04-18500 | 2.0 g/L | stable | 500 ml | Research use | ||
| GMP | CT-18500 | 500 ml | GMP-compliant, on request | ||||
| RUO | P04-18050 | 2.0 g/L | stable | 25 mM HEPES | 500 ml | Research use | |
| RUO | P04-18047 | 4.5 g/L | 2 mM | 500 ml | Research use | ||
| GMP | CT-18047 | 500 ml | GMP-compliant, on request |
Applications
- Suspension culture of leukocytes and lymphoid cells
- Hybridoma culture
- Bone-marrow cell culture
- Serum-supplemented culture of many cell lines
- GMP manufacturing workflows
Frequently asked questions
What is RPMI 1640?
A medium developed at the Roswell Park Memorial Institute for normal and neoplastic leukocytes, and also marrow and hybridoma cells in suspension or monolayer; with FBS it suits many cell lines.
How does it differ from DMEM or Eagle's MEM?
RPMI 1640 contains biotin, vitamin B12 and PABA (absent from Eagle’s MEM and DMEM) and high inositol and choline; it has no proteins, lipids or growth factors.
Which configurations are available?
With L-glutamine, with stable glutamine, or glutamine-free, with options for 25 mM HEPES and phenol-red-free.
Is a GMP grade available?
Yes. A GMP grade is available on request for regulated and manufacturing use.
How is it stored?
RPMI 1640 is stored at +2 °C to +8 °C, with a stability of 2 years from date of production.
One partner, from research through further manufacturing to GMP. Explore the full GMP-grade catalogue or use the Smart Product Search to find a matched product for your cell line.
Related: DMEM · MEM Eagle with EBSS · GMP-Grade Products