Effects of Fetal Bovine Serum Concentration on HL-60 Cell Proliferation

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of fetal bovine serum (FBS) concentration (4% vs. 20%) on HL-60 cell proliferation and protein content over six days. Cell growth curves were constructed using hemocytometer counts, while protein quantification was performed via Bradford assay. Results indicated that 20% FBS significantly enhanced cell proliferation compared to 4% FBS (p<0.05). However, protein assays revealed anomalies in low-cell-density samples (Days 0–1), attributed to technical limitations such as uneven cell distribution and instrument noise. The study highlights the importance of FBS concentration in cell culture optimization and underscores methodological challenges in low-protein- concentration assays.