PBS and HBSS are two different balanced salt solutions used in in vitro laboratory experiments. Balanced salt solutions usually maintain the structural and physiological integrity of cells in in vitro setups. Therefore, they are used in several laboratory experiments.
The key difference between PBS and HBSS is that PBS is a simple, balanced salt solution, while HBSS is a complex, balanced salt solution.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is PBS
3. What is HBSS
4. Similarities – PBS and HBSS
5. PBS vs HBSS in Tabular Form
6. Summary – PBS vs HBSS
7. FAQ – PBS and HBSS
What is PBS?
PBS is a water-based salt solution with a simple formulation. It is also known as phosphate-buffered saline. This solution is isotonic and nontoxic for most of the cells. It is formulated by combining the sodium chloride and phosphate buffer. It prevents osmotic shock while maintaining the water balance of the living cells.
The pH of this solution is 7.4. The storage temperature of this solution is 15 to 30oC. Furthermore, the applications of this solution include washing cells, diluting the cells, preparing the reagents, and transporting the cells.
What is HBSS?
Hanks’ balanced salt solution (HBSS) is a complex balanced salt solution formulated by microbiologist John Hanks in 1940. It is rich in bicarbonate ions. It is a common buffer system in cell culture media. It helps maintain optimum physiological pH. HBSS also has low reactivity.
The ingredients of this solution include inorganic salts, glucose, phenol red, and sodium bicarbonate. The storage temperature of this solution is 4 to 8oC. Furthermore, it is used for mammalian cell culture and transporting media.
Similarities Between PBS and HBSS
- PBS and HBSS are two balanced salt solutions.
- Both solutions contain salts.
- They have low reactivity.
- Both can be used in experiments in vitro.
Difference Between PBS and HBSS
Definition
- PBS is a balanced salt solution with a simple formulation.
- HBSS is a balanced salt solution with a complex formulation.
Ingredients
- PBS contains sodium chloride, potassium chloride, disodium hydrogen phosphate, and potassium dihydrogen phosphate.
- HBSS contains inorganic salts, glucose, phenol red, and sodium bicarbonate.
pH
- PBS typically has a pH of around 7.4
- HBSS typically has a pH that ranges from 6.2 to 7.4.
Temperature
- PBS is used at temperatures between 15 to 30°C.
- HBSS is used at temperatures between 4 to 8°C.
Form
- PBS is found in liquid form.
- HBSS can be found in both liquid and powdered forms.
Used in
- PBS is commonly used in biochemistry and molecular biology experiments.
- HBSS is mainly used in biological research.
Applications
- PBS is used for washing cells, diluting cells, preparing reagents, and transporting cells.
- HBSS is used in mammalian cell culture and as a transporting medium.
The following table summarizes the difference between PBS and HBSS.
Summary – PBS vs HBSS
Balanced salt solutions are made to a physiological pH. They have isotonic salt concentrations. These solutions commonly include sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and chloride. PBS and HBSS are two balanced salt solutions. PBS is a simple, balanced salt solution, while HBSS is a complex, balanced salt solution. Furthermore, PBS contains sodium chloride, potassium chloride, disodium hydrogen phosphate, and potassium dihydrogen phosphate as ingredients, whereas HBSS contains inorganic salts, glucose, phenol red, and sodium bicarbonate as ingredients. This is the summary of the difference between PBS and HBSS.
FAQ: PBS and HBSS
1. What is a balanced salt solution used for?
- Balanced salt solutions have physiological pH and contain isotonic salt concentrations. Balanced salt solutions provide cells with water and inorganic ions while maintaining a physiological pH and osmotic pressure. They are used for washing tissues and cells and are combined with other agents to treat tissues and cells.
2. Why do people use PBS instead of saline?
- PBS closely mimics the pH, osmolarity and ion concentration of the physiological cells whereas saline solution lacks the buffering capacity of PBS and has lower pH than the living cells. Therefore, PBS is preferred in biological experimental research.
3. What is a PBS solution used for?
- PBS is used in cell counting as a diluent, for rinsing or washing cells and as a buffer in many biochemical/molecular biological research. PBS is also used to wash and resuspend cells during the dissociation process in cell culture.
4. What are the components of a HBSS solution?
- HBSS has sodium chloride (8g), potassium chloride (0.4g), calcium chloride (0.14g), magnesium sulfate heptahydrate (0.1g), magnesium chloride hexahydrate (0.1g), sodium phosphate dibasic dehydrate (0.06g), potassium phosphate monobasic (0.06g), D-glucose (1g), and sodium bicarbonate (1g).
5. What is the use of a HBSS solution?
- Hanks’ Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS) is used for a variety of mammalian cell culture applications, such as washing cells before dissociation, transporting cells, diluting cells, transport media, and regent preparation.
Reference:
1. “Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS).” Merck.
2.“HBSS, Calcium, Magnesium, No Phenol Red.” Thermo Fisher Scientific – US.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Cell culture media-set” By Lilly_M – Own work(dzięki współpracy ze szkołą fotograficzną – Fotoedukacja /in cooperation with the school of photography – Fotoedukacja) (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
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