**2. Materials and methods**

## **2.1. Chemicals and reagents**

Growth medium constituents were of analytical grade obtained from Hi-Media laboratories, India. The buffer ingredients were purchased from Merck Chemicals Ltd, India. Sephadex G-25, G-75, diethyl amino ethyl cellulose (DEAE) cellulose and carboxy methyl (CM) cellulose were all obtained from Sigma-Aldrich, USA. The 3, 5-dimethoxy, 4-hydroxy cinnamic acid otherwise called as sinnapinic acid a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-ToF) was also acquired from Sigma-Aldrich. Protein concentrations were measured by Lowry's method with bovine serum albumin as standard. Standard dialysis bag with 3 kDa cutoff was purchased from Sigma-Aldrich. Powder of 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium (MTT), propidium iodide (PI) and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) solution were procured from Sigma Aldrich, India. Cell culture media and other constituents of media are purchased from Hi-media Laboratories Ltd, India. Fetal bovine serum was obtained from Invitrogen Life Technologies, USA.
