L-Glutamine
Quick Facts
| Feature | Information |
|---|---|
| Supplement Type | Amino acid |
| Chemical Name | L-Glutamine |
| Molecular Formula | C₅H₁₀N₂O₃ |
| Molecular Weight | 146.15 g/mol |
| Typical Stock Concentration | 200 mM |
| Typical Working Concentration | 2 mM |
| Storage | −20°C (aliquoted) |
Overview
L-Glutamine is a conditionally essential amino acid and one of the most important nutrients in mammalian cell culture. It serves as a major carbon and nitrogen source for rapidly proliferating cells and is required for energy production, protein synthesis, nucleotide biosynthesis, and maintenance of cellular redox balance.
Although many commercial media are supplied with L-glutamine, it is chemically unstable in solution and gradually degrades into ammonia and pyroglutamate during storage. Because of this limitation, many modern protocols instead use stabilized glutamine supplements such as GlutaMAX™.
Biological Role
L-Glutamine is essential for:
- ATP production through the TCA cycle
- Protein synthesis
- DNA and RNA synthesis
- Glutathione production
- Cell proliferation
- Nitrogen metabolism
Major Biological Functions
| Biological Process | Function |
|---|---|
| Energy Metabolism | Carbon source for the TCA cycle |
| Protein Synthesis | Amino acid precursor |
| Nucleotide Synthesis | Nitrogen donor for purine and pyrimidine synthesis |
| Antioxidant Defense | Supports glutathione production |
| Cell Growth | Required for rapidly dividing cells |
Typical Applications
L-Glutamine is commonly added to media for:
- Immortalized cell lines
- Primary cells
- Stem cells
- iPSC and ESC culture
- Immune cell culture
- Neuronal cultures
- Organoids
- Hybridomas
- Biopharmaceutical production
Recommended Use
| Parameter | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Stock Solution | 200 mM |
| Working Concentration | 2 mM |
| Addition | Supplement only if not already present in the basal medium |
Always verify whether the basal medium already contains L-glutamine before supplementation.
Advantages
- Essential nutrient for mammalian cells
- Supports rapid proliferation
- Compatible with most basal media
- Cost-effective
- Extensively validated in published protocols
Limitations
- Chemically unstable in aqueous solution
- Degrades to ammonia and pyroglutamate during storage
- Reduced stability at 37°C
- Requires fresh media preparation for optimal performance
Comparison with Related Supplements
| Supplement | Primary Use |
|---|---|
| L-Glutamine | Conventional glutamine source |
| GlutaMAX™ | Stabilized glutamine source with improved shelf life |
References
- Eagle H. Nutrition needs of mammalian cells in tissue culture. Science (1955).
- Freshney RI. Culture of Animal Cells: A Manual of Basic Technique and Specialized Applications.
- Gibco™ L-Glutamine Product Information.
- Thermo Fisher Scientific Cell Culture Handbook.
- ATCC Animal Cell Culture Guide.