TABLE 5.2

Selected host cell lines for virus production

Name

Cell type and

tissue origin

Morphology Adherent / suspension /

provider

GMO / BSL/

cancerogenic

Used in

vaccine

production

Comments

Selected viruses

that replicate well

A549

Human lung

carcinoma

Epithelial

Both / culture collection

& iBET

No / 1 / yes

No

Used for many assays

IAV

AGE1.CR.pIX Duck retinoblast

Both / ProBioGen

Yes / 1 / no

?

Growth in CDM

MVA, IAV, VSV

BHK21

Baby hamster

kidney

Fibroblast

Both / culture collection

& Ceva

No / 1 / yes

Veterinary

only

Safe?

Rabies, YFV, VSV

CEF

Chicken embryo

Fibroblast

Adherent / primary

No / 1 / no

Yes

Needs to be prepared new

each time, needs serum

MVA

CHO

Chinese hamster

ovary

Epithelial

Both / culture collection

No / 1 / yes

No

Can grow to very high

concentrations (2E08 cells/

mL), growth in CDM

EB66

Duck embryonic

stem cell

Stem cell

Suspension / Valneva

No / 1 / no

?

Can grow to very high

concentrations (1.6E08 cells/

mL), growth in CDM

MVA, YFV,

ZIKV, IAV

HepG2

Human

hepatocellular

carcinoma

Epithelial

Adherent / culture

collection

No / 1 / yes

No

Needs serum

HCV, Hepatitis E

virus

HEK293

Human embryonic

kidney

Fibroblast

Both / culture collection

Yes / 1 / no

Yes

Often used for recombinant

sub-unit vaccines and vector

vaccines

Adenovirus,

AAV, IAV

High five

Insect

Both / culture collection

No / 1 / no

Yes

Growth at 28°C

Baculovirus

Huh7.5

Human hepatoma

Epithelial

Adherent / culture

collection

No / 1 / yes

No

Needs serum

HCV

88

Bioprocessing of Viral Vaccines