What is the Difference Between HEK293 and HEK293t?

The main difference between HEK293 and HEK293T cells lies in the expression of the SV40 large T antigen. Here are the key differences between the two cell lines:

• HEK293: These are immortalized cell lines derived from human embryonic kidney cells and do not naturally express the SV40 large T antigen.
• HEK293T: These cells are derived from the HEK293 original cell line and have been genetically modified to express the SV40 large T antigen. This modification enhances their transfection efficiency and viral packaging capabilities.

Both HEK293 and HEK293T cells are widely used in cell biology research, including biotechnology, gene therapy, protein expression, and virology. They are valuable for producing recombinant proteins, such as antibodies, and for studying cellular processes and gene regulation. However, due to the enhanced transfection efficiency and viral packaging capabilities of HEK293T cells, they are often preferred when these properties are crucial for a specific research application.

Comparative Table: HEK293 vs HEK293t

HEK293 and HEK293t are two cell lines that have been extensively used in cell biology research. Here is a table summarizing the differences between them:

In summary, HEK293 is an immortalized cell line derived from an embryonic human kidney that is transfected with sheared adenovirus 5 (Ad5) DNA, while HEK293t is a daughter cell line derived from the HEK293 original cell line that is transfected with a plasmid vector carrying SV40 large T antigen. HEK293 does not express the mutant version of the SV40 large T antigen, whereas HEK293t expresses the mutant version of the SV40 large T antigen.