FRS Pioneer

Across tested immortalised cell lines, FRS™ Pioneer supports:

• Adaptation of cells to serum-free workflows without lengthy adaptation protocols
• Long-term maintenance across multiple passages
• Doubling times typically within 18–30 hours, depending on cell line and conditions
• Comparable morphology to FBS controls under appropriate attachment conditions
• Maintenance of intracellular signalling and cellular function (based on analyses to date)
• Fully animal component free cryopreservation workflows

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​Performance is influenced by:

• Cell type
• Attachment strategy
• Seeding density
• Basal medium choice

Datasheets
​​These datasheets summarise validated performance of FRS Pioneer across common use cases. Results reflect external testing.
Immortalised cell lines​

• Immortalised cell lines datasheet: Growth and doubling time comparisons across immortalised cell lines cultured with FRS™ Pioneer versus FBS. 

Cryopreservation

• Cryopreservation datasheet: Post-thaw viability and recovery when FRS™ Pioneer is used with 10% DMSO as a freezing medium. 

Primary cells

• Growing primary cells with FRS Pioneer - an overview
• Growing adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) with FRS Pioneer
• Growing chondrocytes with FRS Pioneer
• ​Growing muscle stem cells (MuSCs) with FRS Pioneer

​Cell types and use cases
FRS Pioneer has been successfully used for:

• Serum replacement for immortalised adherent and suspension cell lines (with maintained intracellular signalling, cell surface expression and downstream function)
• Effective cryopreservation
• Up to 90% serum reduction in primary and organoid models
• Use in extracellular vesicle-related workflows
• Growing cells on microcarriers or scaffolds

It is not currently positioned as a drop-in solution for:

• Complete serum replacement for primary cells without optimisation and inclusion of additional cell-type specific factors. See primary cell datasheets for guidance on full serum replacement using FRS Pioneer for primary cells.

User information and application notes
Detailed guidance for implementing FRS™ Pioneer in standard laboratory workflows.

• FRS Pioneer Quick Start Guide
• White paper - Transitioning immortalised cell lines to chemically defined, serum-free cell culture media with FRS™ Pioneer: Covers rationale, adaptation strategies, scope limits, and common failure modes. 
• User guide and application notes: Practical instructions for routine culture, passaging, adhesion handling, cryopreservation, and troubleshooting.

 Usage and regulatory information

• FRS™ Pioneer is supplied for research use or further manufacturing. It is not intended for diagnostic or clinical use.
• Safety Data Sheet (SDS): Chemical safety, handling, storage, and disposal information. 

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Adherence

GECKO and Recombinant Vitronectin

​GECKO is a chemically defined, animal-component–free mix of adhesion factors designed to support attachment of many adherent cell types to standard tissue culture plastic.
It is intended for use with serum-free or chemically defined media, including FRS™ Pioneer, where adhesion is not provided by serum-derived components.

​What GECKO™ is
GECKO™ is a mixture of lyophilised adhesion-associated proteins present in FBS, validated for use alongside FRS™ Pioneer in coating or coating-free workflows.
GECKO™ is:

• Chemically defined
• Free from animal-derived components
• Compatible with standard TC–treated plasticware
• Recommended for the majority of standard adherent cell lines when moving to FRS™ Pioneer.
• Allows for improved attachment and spreading relative to single-protein coatings for some cell lines.

GECKO™ was designed for use as a coating reagent and does not alter the composition of the culture medium itself.

Coating-free protocols which incorporate GECKO™ into the media are available; reach out directly to learn more.

High level cell line guidance
Attachment performance is cell-type dependent. FRS Pioneer is compatible with standard coatings you may already be using for your cells.

If you typically culture cells in FBS with no coating, you may:

• Coat your plates with 10% serum-containing media.
• Coat your plates with chemically defined proteins.

For fully animal-free, chemically defined workflows, GECKO™ is recommended for the majority of cells, with recombinant vitronectin as the alternative. Recommendations are provided below but please reach out for personalised support.

What GECKO™ is not
GECKO™ is not:

• A universal adhesion solution for all adherent cell types
• Recommended for cell lines validated for vitronectin-alone coatings (see below).

Some cell lines have specific needs, often documented in the literature, that are required to achieve reliable attachment, morphology, or downstream performance. For cells typically cultured in FBS with an additional coating, this coating should be used in place of GECKO™ (e.g. collagen, laminins).

Datasheets and application notes
GECKO Product Sheet
Coating Protocol

Usage and regulatory information​

• GECKO and Vitronectin are supplied for research use or further manufacturing. They are not intended for diagnostic or clinical use.
• GECKO Safety Data Sheet (SDS): Chemical safety, handling, storage, and disposal information. 
• Vitronectin Safety Data Sheet (SDS): Chemical safety, handling, storage, and disposal information. ​

 GECKO™ Mix (with fibronectin)
Non-cancer epithelial (CHO, HEK)
Low TGFb cancer (MCF7)
​Mesenchymal (NIH-3T3)
Glioblastoma (U87, A172)
Renal carcinoma (ACHN)
Muscle (C2C12)
Skin (B16-F10)

Vitronectin alone
High TGFb cancer (A549, H460, SW480, DU145)
Hepatocyte (Hep2G)
Normal kidney (MDCK)
Adenocarcinoma (HT-29)

Need help interpreting the data?
If you are unsure how the data applies to your system, optional technical support is available to help you assess fit before or after purchase.

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