What is the Difference Between CHO-S and CHO-K1?

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CHO-S and CHO-K1 are both derived from the Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) original cell line, but they have distinct characteristics and applications. The main differences between CHO-S and CHO-K1 are:

  1. Cell Growth: CHO-S is a suspension cell line, while CHO-K1 can grow as either a suspension or adherent cell line.
  2. Glycine Biosynthesis: CHO-K1 is missing a chromosome that carries a gene necessary for glycine biosynthesis, so proline needs to be added to the media when culturing CHO-K1 cells.
  3. Application: CHO-S is ideal for large-scale bioreactors due to its ability to grow in suspension liquid culture. On the other hand, CHO-K1 is more suitable for gene expression studies.
  4. Bioprocessing: CHO-S has a preference for biomass formation, while CHO-K1 favors monoclonal antibody (mAb) production.

Despite these differences, both CHO-S and CHO-K1 cell lines are widely used in biological and medical research studies, as well as in commercially available therapeutic applications.

Comparative Table: CHO-S vs CHO-K1

CHO-S and CHO-K1 are both cell lines derived from Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) epithelial cells, but they have distinct characteristics and applications. Here is a table summarizing the differences between CHO-S and CHO-K1:

Feature CHO-S CHO-K1
Cell Type Suspension cell line Suspension or adherent cell line
Proline Synthesis Proline is not added to the media when culturing Proline is added to the media when culturing due to the lack of a proline-synthesizing gene
Applications Widely used in industrial bioreactor systems Applications focus more on gene expression studies
Specific Productivity Prefers biomass production with lower protein expression Favors cell-specific productivity

CHO-S cells are suspension cell lines, adapted for growth in suspension liquid cultures. In contrast, CHO-K1 cells can be genetically manipulated to grow as suspension cells or adherent cells. CHO-K1 cells lack a proline-synthesizing gene, so proline is added to the media when culturing. CHO-S cells are widely used in industrial bioreactor systems, while CHO-K1 cells are more suitable for gene expression studies.