Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI) 1640 Medium was originally developed for suspension culture of human leukemia cell monolayers. RPMI 1640 medium has been found to be suitable for a variety of mammalian cells, including HeLa cells, Jurkat cells, MCF-7 cells, PC12 cells, PBMC cells, astrocytes, and cancer cells. Life Technologies offers a wide range of Gibco™ RPMI 1640 modified media for a wide range of cell culture applications. Use Medium Selection Tool Find the right recipe.
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Gibco™ RPMI 1640 medium has a unique effect compared to other media because it contains the reducing agent glutathione and high concentrations of vitamins. RPMI 1640 contains biotin, vitamin B₁₂ and PABA, these ingredients are not available in Eagle's MEM and DMEM. In addition, the medium contains very high concentrations of the vitamins inositol and choline.

Intended Use of Product
For in vitro diagnostic use. Note: Not for therapeutic use in humans or animals. Use other than that for which the product is intended may violate local regulations. Customers who use Gibco™ RPMI 1640 in their production processes and have submitted an application for review to the FDA may request an authorization letter from Life Technologies in order to quote the company's Class II Drug Master File (DMF).

cGMP Manufacturing and Quality Systems
Gibco™ RPMI 1640 is manufactured in a cGMP compliant facility in Grand Island, New York. The factory is an FDA-registered medical device manufacturer and is certified to the ISO 13485 standard. To ensure supply chain continuity, Life Technologies also offers an equivalent Gibco™ RPMI 1640 product (13018-015) manufactured at our Scottish facility. The facility is an FDA-registered medical device manufacturer and is certified to the ISO 13485 standard.

RPMI 1640 medium does not contain proteins, lipids or growth factors. Therefore, RPMI 1640 medium requires additives, usually 10% Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS). RPMI 1640 uses a sodium bicarbonate buffer system (2.0 g/L) and therefore requires an environment of 5-10% CO₂ to maintain physiological pH.

Gibco™ cell culture medium in powder form requires supplementing sodium bicarbonate, adjusting pH, and filtering (see Experimental Protocol).