CHO, or Chinese Hamster Ovary cells, are a mammalian cell line derived from the ovary of the Chinese hamster. They were first established in the 1950s and have since become one of the most commonly used cell lines in biomedical research and biotechnology, particularly for the production of recombinant proteins.
CHO cells are frequently utilized for several reasons:
- Easy to culture: CHO cells can be easily grown in vitro (in a laboratory setting) using standard cell culture techniques, making them a convenient model for various applications.
- Adaptability: CHO cells are highly adaptable and can grow in suspension or adherent cultures, as well as in serum-free or chemically defined media. This adaptability makes them suitable for large-scale bioprocessing and industrial applications.
- High protein production: CHO cells have a robust capacity for protein synthesis and secretion, making them ideal for producing recombinant proteins in large quantities.
- Post-translational modifications: CHO cells are capable of performing post-translational modifications, such as glycosylation, which are important for the structure, stability, and function of many proteins. This feature makes them suitable for producing proteins that are biologically active and similar to their native counterparts in humans.
- Low immunogenicity: Proteins produced in CHO cells tend to have low immunogenicity, meaning they are less likely to provoke an immune response when administered to humans. This characteristic makes CHO-derived recombinant proteins more suitable for therapeutic use.
Over the years, CHO cells have been used to produce a wide range of recombinant proteins, including monoclonal antibodies, growth factors, and enzymes for various therapeutic applications. The ongoing development of genetic engineering techniques and improvements in CHO cell culture conditions continue to enhance the efficiency and productivity of these cells in protein production, contributing to the advancement of biopharmaceuticals and other biotechnology applications.