Keep Cool: Safely Preserving Cells with CELLBANKER® from Amsbio

We all remember the lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic: schools were closed, many workplaces shifted to home offices, contact restrictions were in place, and in many areas even curfews were imposed. For numerous scientists, this also meant an abrupt halt to laboratory work – and with it, the need to freeze cultured cells, organoids, or other 3D structures such as spheroids for protection. Preserved cells can be maintained for long periods in a kind of suspended animation, in which all metabolic processes come to an almost complete standstill. After thawing, they are able to resume their normal physiological functions [1]. However, the classical FBS/DMSO-based freezing method posed major challenges for many labs during the lockdown: the process is not only time-consuming but also requires slow cooling from -80 °C down to liquid nitrogen. With limited availability of Mr. Frosty containers, freezing all lab members’ cell lines at the same time proved difficult.

During this time, the CELLBANKER® cryopreservation media by Amsbio provided essential support to many laboratories: offering a simple and cost-effective solution for the cryopreservation of cells, organoids, and other 3D structures with high post-thaw viability. Thanks to ready-to-use formulations that eliminate the need for labor-intensive preparation steps, CELLBANKER® ensures reproducibility and long-term stability – from stem cell and organoid storage to GMP-compliant bioprocessing. Available in serum-free, animal-free, and customized formats, CELLBANKER® is the optimal solution for both research and clinical applications [2].

These topics await you:

1) No More Mr. Frosties! Discover the Benefits of CELLBANKER®

2) Cryopreservation Made Easy: The Simple CELLBANKER® Protocol

3) Which CELLBANKER® Format Is Right for You?

No More Mr. Frosties! Discover the Benefits of CELLBANKER®

• Long-term stability – Maintains cell integrity for over 8 years at -80°C or -196°C
• High cell viability – Preserves >90 % survival rate after thawing
• Broad applicability – Validated for a wide range of cell types, including primary and stem cells
• No programmable freezer required – Saves costs by eliminating the need for expensive equipment
• Ready-to-use formulation – Simplifies workflows with no additional preparation
• Flexible options – Available in serum-containing, serum-free, and chemically defined formats
• Long shelf life – Stable for up to 3 years from the date of manufacture

Cryopreservation Made Easy: The Simple CELLBANKER® Protocol

One of the major advantages of the CELLBANKER® media is their ease and speed of use, while still ensuring high cell viability and preserving essential characteristics such as stem cell pluripotency, normal karyotype, and proliferative capacity after freezing. After gently pelleting the cells by centrifugation and removing the supernatant, the cell pellet can be carefully resuspended in CELLBANKER® freezing medium (Fig. 1). The cell suspension is then aliquoted into cryovials and can be placed directly into a -80 °C freezer. If desired, cells can be transferred into a liquid nitrogen tank after at least 24 hours [2]. Cryopreservation has never been this easy!

Which CELLBANKER® Format Is Right for You?

CELLBANKER® 1 – The Classic Freezing Medium

The first product in the CELLBANKER® series, CELLBANKER® 1, was launched in 1992 and has since proven to be reliable, consistent, and highly effective for cell recovery after cryopreservation. The ready-to-use formulation contains serum, DMSO, glucose, salts, and buffer, providing a well-established basis for the long-term storage of a wide variety of cell types [2].

CELLBANKER® 2 – Serum-free Freezing Medium

CELLBANKER® 2 is a serum-free freezing medium specifically optimized for serum-free cell cultures as well as peptide- and protein-expressing cells. Free from animal-derived components, it is ideally suited for applications where the avoidance of contamination risks is essential [2].

STEM-CELLBANKER® – Stem Cell Freezing Medium

STEM-CELLBANKER® is a ready-to-use, chemically defined, and animal-free stem cell freezing medium manufactured under GMP conditions. It is specifically optimized for the storage of embryonic stem (ES) and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, but is also suitable for cryopreserving other sensitive cell types. STEM-CELLBANKER® is also available in a DMSO-free formulation [3].

STEM-CELLBANKER® EX – Xeno-free Freezing Medium for Cell Therapy

The rapid developments over the past ten years in cell, tissue, and gene therapies have fundamentally changed the requirements for modern treatments. These applications demand reliable and safe cryopreservation methods. For many cell therapy products, the freezing medium must be removed before administration – STEM-CELLBANKER® EX eliminates this additional step through its specialized formulation, simplifying use directly in the clinical setting [4].

Next-Level Cryopreservation – CELLBANKER® is redefining cell preservation. See for yourself and try the innovative freezing media from Amsbio. Did you know? Since the end of 2024, Amsbio has been part of the Europa Biosite Group, which also includes Biomol. Amsbio is a leading provider of life science products and services in the fields of bioprobes, stem cell research, regenerative medicine, 3D cell culture, glycobiology, and molecular biology. As the newest member, Amsbio helps Europa Biosite further expand its offerings in these high-growth areas.

Sources

[1] https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kryokonservierung, 12.09.2025

[2] https://www.amsbio.com/cellbanker-cell-freezing-media/, 12.09.2025

[3] https://www.amsbio.com/stem-cell-cryopreservation/, 12.09.2025

[4] https://www.amsbio.com/stem-cell-cryopreservation-ex/, 12.09.2025

Preview Image: https://www.amsbio.com/cellbanker-cell-freezing-media/