Phosphate buffer saline (PBS) is a versatile solution commonly used in biological research and experimentation. It is a water-based salt solution that can be adjusted to a specific pH, usually around 7.4. The buffer formulation consists primarily of mono-hydrogen phosphate, dihydrogen phosphate, sodium chloride, and potassium chloride. Depending on the experiment, other ions like calcium and magnesium chloride may also be added.

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One of the key advantages of PBS is that it is non-toxic to cells and is isotonic, meaning that it will not cause cells to rupture or shrivel due to osmotic pressure. This makes it an ideal solution for washing cellsuspensions, performing immunohistochemistry, as an additive in cell culture media, and for cryopreservation purposes.

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In summary, PBS is a widely used and versatile solution that can be adjusted to the required pH and is non-toxic to cells. It is commonly used in a variety of experiments such as washing cell suspensions, immunohistochemistry, adding in cell culture media and cryopreservation.