Abstract:

The production of biopharmaceutical products primarily relies on mammalian cells, especially in the manufacture of complex protein drugs, due to their ability to perform intricate post-translational modifications (PTMs), which are critical for the function and stability of proteins. Most biopharmaceutical products, such as recombinant therapeutic proteins, vaccines, anticancer drugs, and other clinically relevant medications, are produced using mammalian cell platforms. HEK293 cells (human embryonic kidney 293 cells) are one of the most commonly used host cells among all human cell lines; however, the high investment costs associated with adherent cells in production applications and the potential external risks posed by serum additives have initially limited their use in production. In contrast, HEK293 suspension cells offer advantages over adherent cells, such as significantly reduced production costs and enhanced safety in producing biological products due to the absence of serum. Currently, HEK293 suspension cells have been widely applied in various fields and have become a robust vehicle and new platform for the production of proteins, vaccines, and gene therapy drugs. This article reviews the origin of HEK293 cells and their derived cell lines, summarizes the current suspension adaptation techniques for adherent cells, and outlines serum-free media used for HEK293 cells. It also describes the advancements in the application of HEK293 cells in vaccine production, drug production for gene therapy, and fundamental laboratory research. The significance and existing problems of large-scale production of HEK293 cells are discussed, along with prospective research directions and the application prospects of large-scale production in the future.

Key words: HEK293 cells, suspension acclimation, biopharmaceuticals