Laboratory Buffers
Phosphate-buffered saline and balanced salt solutions are among the most-used reagents in any cell culture or immunoassay lab. You need them for washing cells, diluting reagents, rinsing tissue and running wash steps.
Life Science Group makes ready-to-use buffers in the UK under an ISO 13485 quality system, so you don’t spend time weighing, mixing and filtering your own. Every batch comes with a Certificate of Analysis.
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- Buffers
DPBS
- Price range: £19.57 through £50.70
- Dulbecco's phosphate-buffered saline for washing cells before dissociation and for general cell handling. Supplied ready…
- Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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- Buffers
Hanks’ Balanced Salt Solution
- Price range: £14.91 through £37.27
- HBSS keeps cells at physiological pH and osmolarity in normal room air. Ideal for rinsing,…
- Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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- Buffers
PBS
- Price range: £20.96 through £52.63
- Ready-to-use phosphate-buffered saline for washing cells, diluting cells and reagents, and rinsing tissue. Made in…
- Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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PBS 1% Tween
- Price range: £20.17 through £30.45
- PBS with Tween 20 detergent, ready to use as a wash buffer for ELISA, Western…
- Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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Nucleic Acid Preservation (NAP) RNA/DNA Stabilisation Buffer
- Price range: £45.36 through £104.70
- Stabilises RNA and DNA in samples at ambient temperature for collection, transport and storage before…
- Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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Our buffer range
| Buffer | Typical use |
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| PBS (phosphate-buffered saline) | Washing and rinsing cells, diluting cells for counting, preparing reagents, and transporting cells and tissue for short periods |
| DPBS (Dulbecco’s phosphate-buffered saline) | Cell culture washes before dissociation, especially where a culture-medium-matched salt balance is preferred |
| HBSS (Hanks’ balanced salt solution) | Keeping cells at physiological pH and osmolarity outside a CO₂ incubator, for example during tissue dissociation, cell harvesting and handling on the bench |
| PBS-Tween wash buffer | Wash steps in ELISA, Western blot and immunostaining, where the detergent reduces non-specific background |
| NAP RNA/DNA stabilisation buffer | Collecting, transporting and storing samples for molecular analysis when immediate freezing isn’t possible |
How to choose
- With or without calcium and magnesium: Use buffers without Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ before trypsinisation or dissociation, because these ions help cells stick to each other and to the flask. Use buffers with Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ when you want cells to stay attached and keep membrane integrity.
- With or without phenol red: Phenol red shows pH at a glance. Choose phenol-red-free buffers for fluorescence work, colorimetric assays or oestrogen-sensitive cells.
- 1X or 10X: 1X is ready to use. 10X concentrates save shelf space and shipping cost, and you dilute them with high-purity water.
- PBS or HBSS: PBS is a simple, low-cost wash and diluent. HBSS adds glucose and a broader ion balance, so it supports cells for longer outside the incubator.
Check the product page and Certificate of Analysis for the exact composition and options of each buffer.
Custom buffers
Need a different formulation, concentration or pack size? Our contract manufacturing team makes custom buffers from trial batches to 2,000 litres. We can fill bottles, bags or IBCs, sterile filter, and label to your specification.
Order online, or ask for a custom quote at sales@lifesciencegroup.co.uk or on +44 1234 889180.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between PBS and DPBS?
Both are phosphate-buffered saline solutions. DPBS, Dulbecco’s formulation, has a slightly different salt balance designed to match Dulbecco’s culture media. Many labs use them interchangeably for routine washing.
Why use PBS without calcium and magnesium?
Calcium and magnesium help cells adhere to each other and to culture surfaces. Removing them makes it easier to detach and dissociate cells, so a Ca/Mg-free buffer is the standard wash before trypsin.
What is HBSS used for?
Hanks’ balanced salt solution keeps cells at physiological pH in normal room air. It’s used to rinse and hold cells and tissue during harvesting, dissociation and other bench work.
Why is Tween 20 added to wash buffers?
Tween 20 is a mild detergent. In ELISA and Western blot wash steps it removes loosely bound antibody, which lowers background staining.
Can I store samples for RNA analysis at room temperature?
Nucleic acid preservation buffers stabilise RNA and DNA in samples when freezing isn’t immediately possible. See the NAP buffer product page for validated storage conditions.
Can't find what you need?
GMP aligned manufacture of cell culture media, buffers and reagents in the UK. We produce anything from small trial batches up to 2,000 litres backed by ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 accredited quality systems.
