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Cystine Heart Agar (AS-1187)
$39.00 AUD
AuSaMicS Life Science • Culture Media
Cystine Heart Agar
Highly enriched agar medium for fastidious and cystine-dependent microorganisms
Cystine Heart Agar (CHA) is a highly nutritious enriched medium formulated for the isolation, cultivation, and maintenance of demanding microorganisms, especially cystine-requiring and fastidious Gram-negative organisms. It is widely used for recovery of Francisella tularensis, Haemophilus influenzae, and related organisms from clinical, veterinary, and research specimens.
AS-1187 Enriched Medium ✓ Clinical / Research Use 🧫 Fastidious Organisms
Target Use: Isolation of demanding bacteria Supplement Compatible: Blood or hemoglobin Available: COA + TDS + SDS
Enriched Recovery Medium
Heart Infusion Base - rich nutrient support
L-Cystine Enriched - supports demanding organisms
Blood Compatible - improved recovery when enriched
Routine Incubation - 35–37°C
Technical Support - supplement guidance available
Fastidious Organism Focus
Designed for enhanced recovery of demanding isolates
🔬 Product Overview
Cystine Heart Agar is a general-purpose enriched solid medium intended for the recovery and cultivation of fastidious, cystine-dependent bacteria. The formulation combines heart infusion, proteose peptone, dextrose, and L-cystine to supply amino acids, carbon sources, growth factors, and sulfur-containing nutrients required by demanding organisms.
The medium is particularly useful for isolation of Francisella tularensis, cultivation of Haemophilus spp., and maintenance of laboratory strains requiring a rich, supportive agar base.
When required, the base medium may be further enriched with hemoglobin or defibrinated blood to improve growth of stressed or highly fastidious organisms.
⚗️ Intended Use
Used for the primary isolation, subculture, and maintenance of fastidious bacteria in clinical microbiology, veterinary diagnostics, public health, and microbiological research. It is suitable as an enriched agar base and may also be adapted with supplements for selective applications where validated by the user.
🧫 Applications
Tularemia Diagnostics
Supports isolation of Francisella tularensis when used under appropriate validated laboratory and biosafety conditions.
Respiratory Microbiology
Useful for cultivation of Haemophilus spp. and other demanding respiratory isolates with supplemental enrichment where required.
🧪 Research & Maintenance
Suitable for maintenance, passage, and recovery of laboratory strains needing enriched nutritional support.
Supplemented Selective Workflows
May be supplemented with selective antibiotics when laboratory protocols require more selective recovery.
📊 Key Features
Cystine-Enriched Formula
Supports cystine-dependent and highly demanding microorganisms.
Supports cystine-dependent and highly demanding microorganisms.
Heart Infusion Nutrition
Provides rich nutrients and growth-promoting factors.
Provides rich nutrients and growth-promoting factors.
Blood / Hemoglobin Compatible
Flexible enrichment for improved recovery.
Flexible enrichment for improved recovery.
Reproducible Performance
Stable pH and robust general-purpose enriched base.
Stable pH and robust general-purpose enriched base.
🧪 Composition (per litre)
Final pH: 7.2 ± 0.2 at 25°C
Preparation
- Suspend 41.0 g of dehydrated medium in 1 L purified water.
- Heat with frequent agitation until completely dissolved.
- Autoclave at 121°C for 15 minutes.
- Cool to 45–50°C.
- Add sterile supplements as required:
- Hemoglobin: 1%
- Defibrinated blood: 5–10%
- Selective antibiotics where validated
- Mix gently and pour into sterile Petri plates.
💡 Typical Colony Morphology
Francisella tularensis typically produces small (about 1–2 mm), smooth, grayish-white to opaque colonies after 24–48 hours under suitable incubation and enrichment conditions.
📋 Technical Specifications
| Product Name | Cystine Heart Agar |
| Catalogue Number | AS-1187 |
| Medium Type | Enriched agar medium |
| Primary Use | Isolation and cultivation of fastidious organisms |
| Target Organisms | Francisella, Haemophilus, other fastidious bacteria |
| Final pH | 7.2 ± 0.2 at 25°C |
| Incubation | 35–37°C for 24–48 hours |
| Atmosphere | Aerobic or 5% CO₂ |
| Storage | Dry medium: 10–30°C; plates: 2–8°C |
| HS Code | 3821.00.00 |
🩸 Supplement Options
- ✓ Hemoglobin: supports enhanced recovery
- ✓ Defibrinated Blood: 5–10% enrichment option
- ✓ Selective Antibiotics: where required by validated protocol
- ✓ Flexible Base: suitable for customized enriched workflows
✅ Quality Control
Performance should be verified using appropriate control organisms, for example:
- Francisella tularensis reference strains
- Haemophilus influenzae reference strains
⚠️ Safety Information
For laboratory use only. Not for food, pharmaceutical, or therapeutic applications.
Work involving Francisella tularensis should only be performed under appropriate containment and institutional biosafety procedures.
Use suitable PPE including gloves, lab coat, and eye protection. Autoclave contaminated materials before disposal.
📄 Documentation
Technical Data Sheet (TDS)
Certificate of Analysis (COA)
Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
🧬 Related AuSaMicS Products
AuSaMicS Pty Ltd • 31 Longview CT, Thomastown, VIC 3074, Australia • ABN 56676640467
Website: www.ausamics.com.au • Email: support@ausamics.com • Phone: +61 412 520 598
For laboratory and research use only. Product suitability should be verified by the user under validated laboratory conditions, applicable standards, and institutional biosafety requirements.