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H4034

Sigma-Aldrich

HEPES

BioPerformance Certified, ≥99.5% (titration), suitable for cell culture

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Synonym(s):
4-(2-Hydroxyethyl)piperazine-1-ethanesulfonic acid, N-(2-Hydroxyethyl)piperazine-N′-(2-ethanesulfonic acid)
Empirical Formula (Hill Notation):
C8H18N2O4S
CAS Number:
Molecular Weight:
238.30
Beilstein:
883043
EC Number:
MDL number:
UNSPSC Code:
12161700
PubChem Substance ID:
NACRES:
NA.25

grade

BioPerformance Certified

Quality Level

Assay

≥99.5% (titration)

form

crystalline powder

storage condition

dry at room temperature

technique(s)

cell culture | mammalian: suitable
competitive inhibition ELISA: suitable

impurities

endotoxin and total aerobic microbial count, tested

color

white

useful pH range

6.8-8.2

pKa (25 °C)

7.5

cation traces

Fe: ≤5 ppm

absorption

≤0.05 at 260 in H2O at 0.1 M
≤0.05 at 280 in H2O at 0.1 M

suitability

suitable for Western blot
suitable for component for culture media

application(s)

clinical research
diagnostic assay manufacturing
general analytical
life science and biopharma

foreign activity

DNase, RNase, NICKase, protease, none detected

SMILES string

OCCN1CCN(CC1)CCS(O)(=O)=O

InChI

1S/C8H18N2O4S/c11-7-5-9-1-3-10(4-2-9)6-8-15(12,13)14/h11H,1-8H2,(H,12,13,14)

InChI key

JKMHFZQWWAIEOD-UHFFFAOYSA-N

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General description

HEPES buffer does not confer cytotoxic effects on cells and thus can be used in animal cell cultures.
HEPES has been described as one of the best all-purpose buffers available for biological research. At biological pH, the molecule is zwitterionic, and is effective as a buffer at pH 6.8 to 8.2. HEPES has been used in a wide variety of applications, including tissue culture. It is commonly used to buffer cell culture media in air. HEPES finds its usage in in vitro experiments on Mg.
HEPES, or 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine-1-ethane-sulfonic acid, is a zwitterionic N-substituted aminosulfonic acid buffer. It demonstrates outstanding buffering capacity in the pH range of 6.8 to 8.2, boasting a pKa of 7.48 at 25°C. Widely acknowledged as one of the most versatile buffers, HEPES is extensively utilized in cell biology, biochemical, and biological research. A notable attribute is its non-reactivity with metal ions. Unlike many buffers, HEPES does not form significant complexes with most metals, making it suitable for applications involving metal ions without affecting their activity. This characteristic enhances its utility as a "non-coordinating buffer." In cell culture, HEPES excels in maintaining a stable physiological pH, even amidst fluctuations in carbon dioxide concentration resulting from cellular respiration. This sets it apart from bicarbonate buffers (NaHCO3), which, though commonly used, are less effective in pH stability.

HEPES also proves advantageous in various biological and biochemical processes. Its ampholytic nature makes it suitable as a separator for creating pH gradients in isoelectric focusing, a technique often employed in protein separation and analysis. Moreover, HEPES exhibits minimal interference with DNA-restriction enzyme reactions compared to buffers with fewer substituted amine groups, such as Tris. This makes it a preferred choice for applications involving DNA manipulation and analysis. Beyond these specific applications, HEPES is valuable in numerous other biological and biochemical processes, including immunoprecipitation, cell lysis, and live cell imaging. Its versatility, coupled with exceptional pH buffering capacity and minimal interaction with other molecules, establishes HEPES as an indispensable tool across diverse research domains.

Application

HEPES has been used:
  • To supplement Dulbecco′s modified Eagle′s medium to culture and maintain cell lines
  • As a component of platelet suspension buffer
  • To supplement Hank′s basic salt solution, which is used to wash pancreatic tissue
  • As a component of wash buffer and blocking buffer in the purification and quantification of protein with enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA) assay
  • For the adjustment and maintenance of pH of biological solutions
  • As a component of Hank′s balanced salt solution (HBSS) and dissociation medium to study neuronal development
  • For homogenization of tissue and in the preparation of cytosolic and nuclear extract from cells
  • As a component of keratinocyte and fibroblast culture medium

Features and Benefits

  • Tested to confirm low levels of heavy metal contamination, ensuring suitability for various applications
  • Highly soluble in water with a useful pH range of 6.8 - 8.2 and pKa of 7.5 at 25 °C
  • Negligible metal ion binding
  • Less toxic to cells than other buffers such as Tris and phosphate
  • Stable in a wide pH range
  • Tested for Endotoxins and Total Aerobic Microbial Count
  • Free from DNase, NICKase, RNase, Endonuclease, Exonuclease and Protease

Other Notes

For additional information on our range of Biochemicals, please complete this form.

WGK

WGK 1

Flash Point(F)

Not applicable

Flash Point(C)

Not applicable

Personal Protective Equipment

dust mask type N95 (US), Eyeshields, Gloves

Regulatory Listings

Regulatory Listings are mainly provided for chemical products. Only limited information can be provided here for non-chemical products. No entry means none of the components are listed. It is the user’s obligation to ensure the safe and legal use of the product.

JAN Code

H4034-BULK-PC:
H4034-1KG:4548173199320
H4034-BULK:
H4034-25G:4548173199337
H4034-1KG-PB:
H4034-RSAMPLE:
H4034-500G-PB:
H4034-25KG-DP:
H4034-50KG:4548173199368
H4034-25KG:4548173199344
H4034-VAR:
H4034-6X500G:4548173199375
H4034-EW:
H4034-500G:4548173199351
2508010:
H4034-100G:4548173199313


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Actin filament elasticity and retrograde flow shape the force-velocity relation of motile cells.
Zimmermann J, et al.
Biophysical Journal, 102(2), 287-295 (2012)
Use of a new buffer in the culture of animal cells.
Williamson JD and Cox P
The Journal of General Virology, 2, 309-309 (1968)
Complex thermorheology of living cells.
Schmidt BUS, et al.
New Journal of Physics, 17(7), 073010-073010 (2015)
Airway epithelial cell PPAR? modulates cigarette smoke-induced chemokine expression and emphysema susceptibility in mice.
Solleti SK et al.
American Journal of Physiology. Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology, 309, L293-L293 (2015)
The slice overlay assay: a versatile tool to study the influence of extracellular signals on neuronal development.
Polleux F and Ghosh A
Science's STKE : Signal Transduction Knowledge Environment, 136, pl9-pl9 (2002)

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