Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells are a cell line derived from the ovaries of the Chinese hamster (Cricetulus griseus). CHO cells are commonly used in biotechnology and pharmaceutical research for the production of recombinant proteins, monoclonal antibodies, and other therapeutic molecules.
CHO cells are particularly useful for large-scale production of biopharmaceuticals because they are capable of high protein expression and are relatively easy to culture. They are also preferred over other mammalian cell lines because they do not produce endogenous viruses that could contaminate the final product.
CHO cells can be grown in suspension or adherent cultures, and are typically grown in specialized media containing nutrients and growth factors. The cells are genetically engineered to express the desired therapeutic protein, and are then grown in bioreactors to produce large quantities of the protein.
CHO cells have played a critical role in the production of many important biopharmaceuticals, including insulin, growth hormone, and various monoclonal antibodies used to treat cancer, autoimmune diseases, and other conditions.