Mammalian cell lines are populations of cells derived from mammals that are cultured in vitro (in a laboratory setting) and used for various research and industrial applications. Mammalian cell lines are widely used because they closely resemble the cellular environment found in living organisms, making them an excellent choice for studying biological processes, protein expression, and the production of biopharmaceuticals.
There are numerous mammalian cell lines, each with its unique properties and applications. Some of the most commonly used mammalian cell lines include:
- Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells: CHO cells are one of the most widely used mammalian cell lines for the production of recombinant proteins and biopharmaceuticals, such as monoclonal antibodies. They have a high growth rate, adapt well to various culture conditions, and can be genetically manipulated to produce proteins with post-translational modifications similar to those found in humans.
- HEK293 cells (Human Embryonic Kidney 293 cells): These cells are derived from human embryonic kidney tissue and are widely used for protein expression, gene therapy vector production, and various research applications. They are easy to grow and transfect, making them suitable for transient and stable protein expression.
- HeLa cells: HeLa cells are derived from a human cervical cancer and are one of the oldest and most commonly used mammalian cell lines in biomedical research. They have been extensively used in cancer research, virology, and gene expression studies.
- Vero cells: Vero cells are derived from the kidney epithelial cells of the African green monkey. They are commonly used for the production of viral vaccines and for the study of virus-host interactions.
- MDCK cells (Madin-Darby Canine Kidney cells): MDCK cells are derived from the kidney of a dog and are widely used for studying cell polarity, membrane transport, and viral replication.
- MCF-7 cells: MCF-7 cells are a human breast cancer cell line used extensively in cancer research, particularly for studying estrogen receptor-positive breast cancers and drug responses.
The use of mammalian cell lines offers several advantages, such as the ability to produce proteins with post-translational modifications that closely resemble those found in humans, making them suitable for the production of biopharmaceuticals. However, they can also be more challenging to culture and maintain compared to simpler organisms, such as bacteria or yeast, and may require more complex and expensive culture media and conditions.
It is essential to select the appropriate mammalian cell line based on the specific needs and requirements of a given research project or biopharmaceutical production process, considering factors such as growth rate, ease of genetic manipulation, protein expression levels, and post-translational modification capabilities.