Phosphate buffered saline
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Phosphate buffered saline (abbreviated PBS) is a buffer solution commonly used in biochemistry. It is a salty solution containing sodium chloride, sodium phosphate and potassium phosphate. The buffer helps to maintain a constant pH. The concentration usually matches the human body (isotonic).
PBS has many uses because it is isotonic and non-toxic to cells. It can be used to dilute substances. It is used as a cellular cleaning solution. In addition, PBS is also used to disengage attached and clumped cells.
To make a 10 liter stock of 10x PBS:
- weigh the following
- 800 g NaCl
- 20 g KCl
- 144 g Na2HPO4
- 24 g KH2PO4
- add and dissolve in 8 L of distilled water under mixing
- adjust PH to 7.4 with concentrated HCl under constant mixing
- fill up to 10 L with distilled water