The production of biologics depends on cell lines—living factories that originate from a primary culture and have the remarkable ability to grow and multiply. Cell lines can be derived from a variety of organisms, including mammals, bacteria, yeast, fungi, and even insects. Each type of cell line brings unique capabilities, and the choice of which to use hinges on the specific therapeutic being developed.

Providing Perspective

Primary cell lines are capable of dividing only a certain number of times before they reach their limit and stop growing. This natural “clock” is called cellular senescence—where cells age and eventually stop multiplying.

Immortalized cell lines, on the other hand, are engineered for longevity. Through modifications, these cells are given the unique ability to divide indefinitely. By introducing key genetic changes, they escape the normal regulatory checkpoints that control cell division, making them invaluable tools for research and drug production. Examples include HeLa, CHO, HEK 293, and 3T3 cells.

Cell Line Powerhouse

Bacterial cell lines are like efficient, straightforward factories—great for producing simple drugs like insulin and growth hormone but limited by their basic cellular machinery. Without key organelles like the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus, they lack the tools to fold and modify complex protein-based therapeutics.

Mammalian cell lines are the master craftsmen of the biotech world. Equipped with the full suite of cellular machinery and biological processes, they can expertly synthesize, modify, and fold intricate proteins—making them essential for producing complex, cutting-edge drugs.

The Numbers

Around 30% of biologic drugs rely on the bacterial powerhouse E. coli, known for its efficiency in cranking out simple proteins and small peptides with ease. But when it comes to complex biologics, Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells steal the spotlight, serving as the production engine behind an impressive 70% of today’s cutting-edge therapies. These mammalian cells bring the sophistication needed for the intricate work of crafting advanced, life-saving biologics.

Applications in Action

The C1-cell protein production platform is based on a fugus cell line M. thermophila.
C1 cells boost researchers’ time and money savings by:

• Doubling in one-tenth the time of CHO cells
• Growing in less-expensive media than CHO cells
• Producing more protein than CHO cells

A collaboration between Dyadic and the Israel Institute for Biological Research resulted in the DYAI-100 COVID-19 vaccine in 2022.

Cocktail Fodder

Insect cells have been used to produce several Virus-Like Particle (VLP) vaccines, in particular, one of the current HPV vaccines, Cervarix®. A VLP vaccine is a type of vaccine that mimics the structure of a virus, but is not infectious or capable of causing disease.

Biomanufacturing: Go Beyond Cell Lines

Extend your understanding of cell lines to include master and working cell banks and the biomanufacturing process. Register today for our Biomanufacturing Primer microcourse and learn enough to become dangerous!

Election Day

Biotech Primer will take off next Tuesday, November 5th, so our staff can vote. The Primer blog will return the following Tuesday, November 12, with a very special announcement! See you at the voting polls!