Growth characteristics of monkey kidney cell strains LLC-MK1, LLC-MK2, and LLC-MK2(NCTC-3196) and their utility in virus research

Abstract

The establishment of two strains of rhesus monkey kidney cells in continuous tissue culture, the development of a subline adapted to chemically defined medium, and the isolation of several clonal derivatives were described. Growth characteristics, chromosome numbers, malignant potentiality, and freeze storage data are presented. The cells were studied for their sensitivity to a large number of viruses and were extensively compared with primary cultures of monkey kidney cells for sensitivity to poliovirus. The cell strains were not sensitive to all the viruses which could be grown in primary cultures of the same tissue but were susceptible to most of them. In some instances an advantage to the use of the cell strain for certain viruses was noted.