What are the advantages of serum-free media?

One advantage is that it can decrease the risk of contamination from infections agents compared to media containing serum, as it is more defined compared to serum-containing media. Another advantage is that serum-free media allows for the selection of specific cell types through the addition of cytokine combinations. By adding cytokine combinations, a controlled environment can be created to promote and induce the differentiation of specific cell types. A third advantage is that this type of media reduces interfere proteins and regulates the isolation and purification of the target protein. Thus, it provides highly precise analysis of cellular function. Serum-free media also eliminates ethical issues, as fetal bovine serum is typically derived from animal fetuses.