Table 1. Comparison between the formulations of physiological and historic media.
Formulations of Plasmax™, Human Plasma-Like Medium (HPLM), Minimal Essential Medium (MEM), Iscove's Modified Dulbecco's Medium (IMDM), Dulbecco's modified Eagles Medium (DMEM, high glucose), DMEM/F-12 nutrient mix (1:1), Ham’s F-12 Nutrient Mix (F-12), and Roswell Park Memorial Institute 1640 Medium (RPMI 1640, low glucose). The range of normal concentration values for human plasma are reported in the first column. All the concentrations are reported in μM. NA: not available. The colors represent the relative abundance of each component across the different media. White represents the level in Plasmax™, and blue and red represent lower and higher concentrations, respectively. An eightfold cutoff on color scale was applied. Grey and yellow cells are not part of the color scale.
| Human plasma | Plasmax™ | HPLM | MEM | IMDM | DMEM | DMEM/F-12 | F-12 | RPMI 1640 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proteinogenic Amino Acids | |||||||||
| L-Alanine | 230 - 510 [13] | 510 | 430 | NA | 281 | NA | 50 | 100 | NA |
| L-Arginine | 13 - 64 [13] | 64 | 110 | 597 | 399 | 398 | 699 | 1000 | 1149 |
| L-Asparagine | 45-130 [13] | 41 | 50 | NA | 189 | NA | 50 | 100 | 379 |
| L-Aspartic acid | 0 - 6 [13] | 6 | 20 | NA | 226 | NA | 50 | 100 | 150 |
| L-Cysteine | 23.2 - 43.8 [14] | 33 | 40 | NA | NA | NA | 100 | 200 | NA |
| L-Glutamate | 32-140 [13] | 98 | 80 | NA | 510 | NA | 50 | 100 | 136 |
| L-Glutamine | 420-720 [13] | 650 | 550 | 2000 | 4000 | 4000 | 2500 | 1000 | 2055 |
| Glycine | 170 - 330 [13] | 330 | 300 | NA | 400 | 400 | 250 | 100 | 133 |
| L-Histidine | 26 - 120 [13] | 120 | 110 | 200 | 200 | 200 | 150 | 100 | 97 |
| L-Isoleucine | 42 - 100 [13] | 140 | 70 | 397 | 802 | 802 | 416 | 31 | 382 |
| L-Leucine | 66 - 170 [13] | 170 | 160 | 397 | 802 | 802 | 451 | 100 | 382 |
| L-Lysine | 150 - 220 [13] | 220 | 200 | 399 | 798 | 798 | 499 | 199 | 219 |
| L-Methionine | 16 - 30 [13] | 30 | 30 | 101 | 201 | 201 | 116 | 30 | 101 |
| L-Phenylalanine | 41 - 68 [13] | 68 | 80 | 194 | 400 | 400 | 215 | 30 | 91 |
| L-Proline | 110-360 [13] | 360 | 200 | NA | 348 | NA | 150 | 300 | 174 |
| L-Serine | 56 - 140 [13] | 140 | 150 | NA | 400 | 400 | 250 | 100 | 286 |
| L-Threonine | 92 - 240 [13] | 240 | 140 | 403 | 798 | 798 | 449 | 100 | 168 |
| L-Tryptophan | 44.8 - 64.2 [14] | 78 | 60 | 49 | 78 | 78 | 44 | 10 | 25 |
| L-Tyrosine | 45 - 74 [13] | 74 | 80 | 199 | 462 | 399 | 214 | 30 | 111 |
| L-Valine | 150 - 310 [13] | 230 | 220 | 393 | 803 | 803 | 452 | 100 | 171 |
| Non-proteinogenic Amino Acids | |||||||||
| α-Aminobutyrate | 15 - 41 [13] | 41 | 20 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| L-Citrulline | 16 - 55 [13] | 55 | 40 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| L-Cystine | 30 - 65 [13] | 65 | 100 | 99 | 292 | 201.3 | 100 | NA | 207.7 |
| L-Homocysteine | 6.1 - 12.1 [15] | 9 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 4-Hydroxy-L-proline | 3 - 23 [16] | 13 | 20 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 152.7 |
| L-Ornitine | 27 - 80 [13] | 80 | 70 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| L-Pyroglutamate | 12.2 - 15.3 [17] | 20 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Amino Acids Derivatives | |||||||||
| L-Acetyl glycine | 69.7 [14] | 70 | 90 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| L-Carnosine | 5.5 - 7.5 [18] | 6 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Glutathione (reduced) | 32.2 - 41.8 [19] | 37 | 25 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 3.3 |
| Putrescine | 0.1 - 0.3 [20] | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 0.5 | 1.0 | NA |
| Taurine | 45 - 130 [13] | 130 | 90 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| N-Trimethylglycine (betaine) | 49.6 - 94.4 [14] | 72 | 70 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Other Components | |||||||||
| Acetate | 26.8 - 57 [14] | 42 | 60 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Acetone | 24.8 - 84 [14] | 55 | 60 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Acetyl carnitine | 2.5 - 8.6 [21] | 5 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Citrate | 87.2 - 141.2 [14] | 114 | 130 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Carnitine | 34.1 - 57.3 [14] | 46 | 40 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Creatine | 8.4 - 65 [14] | 37 | 40 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Creatinine | 60.5 - 87.7 [14] | 74 | 75 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Formate | 19.5 - 46.1 [14] | 33 | 50 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Fructose | 28.0 - 34.0 [22] | NA | 40 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Galactose | 53.6 - 123 [22] | NA | 60 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| D-Glucose | 4598.5 - 5344.1 [14] | 5560 | 5000 | 5556 | 25000 | 25000 | 17506 | 10011 | 11111 |
| Glycerol | 331.2 - 532 [14] | 82 | 120 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 2-Hydroxybutyrate | 23.5 - 39.1 [14] | 31 | 50 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 3-Hydroxybutyrate | 10.6 - 143.2 [14] | 77 | 50 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| 3-Hydroxyisobutyrate | 19.0 - 23.0 [23] | 20 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Hypoxanthine | 4.5 - 5.3 [24] | 5 | 10 | NA | NA | NA | 15 | 30 | NA |
| Lactate | 1118.2 - 1860.6 [14] | 500 | 1600 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Linoleic Acid | 45.8 - 121.8 [14] | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 0.15 | 0.30 | NA |
| Lipoic Acid | 0.060 - 0.094 [22] | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 0.5 | 1.0 | NA |
| Malonate | 12.3 - 14.7 [14] | NA | 10 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Methyl acetoacetate | for acetoacetate 4.1 - 77.1 [14] | 41 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Phenol Red | NA | 25.0 | 14.0 | 26.6 | 39.9 | 39.9 | 21.5 | 3.2 | 13.3 |
| Pyruvate | 9.3 - 59.7 [14] | 100 | 50 | NA | 1000 | 1000 | 500 | 1000 | NA |
| Succinate | 23.5 [14] | 23 | 20 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Thymidine | 0.1 - 0.3 [19] | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 1.5 | 2.9 | NA |
| Uracil | 1.1 - 3.1 [19] | 2 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Urate | 228.9 - 315.1 [19] | 270 | 250 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Urea | 3920.4 - 8228.8 [14] | 3000 | 5000 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Uridine | 1.8 - 4.4 [19] | 3 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Inorganic Salts | |||||||||
| Ammonium Chloride | for NH4+ [25] for Cl- [1] | 50 | 40 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Calcium Chloride | for Ca2+ and Cl- [1] | 1800 | 2350 | 1802 | 1487 | 1802 | 1050 | 299 | NA |
| Calcium Nitrate | for Ca2+ [1] for NO3-[22] | NA | 40 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 424 |
| Magnesium Chloride | for Mg2+ and Cl- [1] | NA | 480 | NA | NA | NA | 302 | 602 | NA |
| Magnesium Sulfate | for Mg2+ and SO42- [1] | 813 | 250 | 814 | 814 | 814 | 407 | NA | 407 |
| Potassium Chloride | for K+ and Cl- [1] | 5330 | 4100 | 5333 | 4400 | 5333 | 4157 | 2981 | 5333 |
| Potassium Nitrate | for K+ [1] for NO3- [22] | NA | NA | NA | 1 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Sodium Bicarbonate | for Na+ and HCO3- [1] | 26191 | 24000 | 26191 | 36000 | 44048 | 29024 | 14000 | 23810 |
| Sodium Chloride | for Na+ and Cl- [1] | 118706 | 105000 | 117241 | 77672 | 110345 | 120612 | 131017 | 103448 |
| Sodium Phosphate monobasic | for Na+ and PO43- [1] | 1010 | NA | 1014 | 906 | 906 | 453 | NA | NA |
| Sodium Phosphate dibasic | for Na+ and PO43- [1] | NA | 870 | NA | NA | NA | 500 | 1000 | 5634 |
| Trace Elements | |||||||||
| Ammonium Metavanadate | for NH4+ [25] for V [26] | 0.0026 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Cupric Sulfate | for Cu [27] for SO42- [1] | 0.0052 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 0.0052 | 0.0100 | NA |
| Ferric Chloride | for Fe [28] for Cl- [1] | NA | NA | NA | 2 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Ferric Nitrate | for Fe [28] for NO3-[22] | 0.1238 | NA | NA | NA | 0.2475 | 0.1238 | NA | NA |
| Ferric Sulfate | for Fe [28] for SO42- [1] | 1.0428 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 1.5000 | 3.0000 | NA |
| Manganous Chloride | for Mn [29] for Cl- [1] | 0.0002 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Sodium Selenite | for Na+ [1] for Se [29] | 0.0289 | NA | NA | 0.0980 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Zinc Sulfate | for Zn [29] for SO42- [1] | 1.50 | NA | NA | 0.49 | NA | 1.50 | 2.90 | NA |
| Vitamins | |||||||||
| p-Aminobenzoate | 5.0 - 32.0 [24] | NA | 7.3 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 7.3 |
| Ascorbate | 57.9 - 67.3 [19] | 62 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| D-Biotin | 0.0006 - 0.0019 [30] | 4.100 | 0.800 | NA | 0.530 | NA | 0.014 | 0.030 | 0.820 |
| Choline | 9.2 - 19.8 [14] | 7.1 | 21.5 | 7.1 | 28.6 | 28.6 | 64.1 | 100 | 21.4 |
| Folate | 0.017 - 0.025 [31] | 2.30 | 2.30 | 2.30 | 9.10 | 9.10 | 6.00 | 2.90 | 2.27 |
| myo-Inositol | 17.1 [14] | 11.1 | 194.3 | 11.1 | 40.0 | 40.0 | 70.0 | 100.0 | 194.4 |
| Niacinamide | 0.435 - 0.445 [32] | 8.2 | 8.2 | 8.2 | 32.8 | 32.8 | 16.6 | 0.3 | 8.2 |
| D-Calcium pantothenate | 4.5 - 5.3 [22] | 2.10 | 0.52 | 2.10 | 8.40 | 8.40 | 4.70 | 1.05 | 0.52 |
| Pyridoxine | 0.007 - 0.060 [33] | 4.90 | 4.90 | 4.90 | 19.60 | 19.40 | 9.80 | 0.29 | 4.90 |
| Riboflavin | 0.0054 - 0.028 [34] | 0.30 | 0.50 | 0.27 | 1.10 | 1.10 | 0.58 | 0.01 | 0.53 |
| Thiamine | 0.078 - 0.114 [35] | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 11.9 | 11.2 | 6.4 | 0.9 | 3.0 |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.00017 - 0.00033 [36] | 0.0050 | 0.0037 | NA | 0.0096 | NA | 0.5000 | 1.0000 | 0.0037 |