The relevance of antibiotic supplements in mammalian cell cultures: Towards a paradigm shift

Antibiotic supplements remain a key component of mammalian cell culture systems, providing simple and cost-effective preventive measures as well as treatment for bacterial contamination. However, to a certain extent, antibiotic supplements may also have undesirable activities that are not consciously recognized. In fact, customary antibiotic supplements in cell cultures exhibit cytotoxic and cytostatic activity at standard concentrations, as well as altering the biological patterns of cultured mammalian cells. On the other hand, acquired resistance is a matter of great concern that may arise as a result of routine and long-term use of antibiotic supplements. This review addresses the relevance of the use of antibiotic supplements in mammalian cell culture systems, by highlighting their advantages and disadvantages and providing insight into the practices of antibiotic-free culture media.