Verdanova, M., Pytlik, R., & Kalbacova, M. H. (2014). Evaluation of sericin as a fetal bovine serum-replacing cryoprotectant during freezing of human mesenchymal stromal cells and human osteoblast-like cells. Biopreservation and biobanking, 12(2), 99-105.

The aim of the present study was to develop an FBS-free cryoprotective medium for human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs; primary cells) and immortalized human osteoblasts (SAOS-2 cell line). The FBS-free medium with 1% sericin in 10% DMSO was found to be a suitable freezing medium for primary hMSCs, in contrast to immortalized human osteoblasts. Surprisingly, the storage of hMSCs in a cultivation medium with only 10% DMSO also provided satisfactory results. Any drop in DMSO concentration led to significantly worse survival of cells, with little improvement in hMSC survival in the presence of sericin. Thus, sericin may substitute for FBS in the freezing medium for primary hMSCs, but cannot substitute for DMSO.

The formulation of the serum-free a-MEM-DMSO-sericin based medium is listed in the Materials and Methods, under the heading; Freezing media.

Pasovic, L. (2018). Storage of Cultured Retinal Pigment Epithelium for Transplantation. (https://www.duo.uio.no/bitstream/handle/10852/61888/1/PhD-Pasovic-DUO.pdf)

"The combination of adenosine, L-ascorbic acid, allopurinol and sericin in MEM preserves hRPE pigmentation while maintaining cell viability close to control levels during storage at 4°C."