Buffered Salt Solutions      

Buffered salt solutions are made to a physiological pH and salt concentration. They are used alone or in combination with other agents for washing tissues and cells. Buffered salt solutions most commonly include sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and chloride. They provide the cells with water and inorganic ions, while maintaining a physiological pH and osmotic pressure.

Although there have been many modifications to the original formulas in efforts to produce fully defined media, salt solutions still play an important role in tissue culture. A salt solution's basic function, to maintain the pH and osmotic balance in the medium and to provide the cells with water and essential inorganic ions, is as valuable today as when it was first developed a century ago.