MRC-9 Cells

The MRC-9 cell line is a human diploid fibroblast strain derived from the lungs of a White female fetus at 15 weeks gestation. It was established for long-term use in biological research, vaccine production, and diagnostic virology. The cells exhibit adherent growth properties and maintain a stable, diploid karyotype throughout serial propagation. Importantly, MRC-9 cells possess normal chromosomal features and are non-tumorigenic under typical conditions. However, they have demonstrated tumorigenic properties when tested in semisolid media, but not when implanted in immunosuppressed mice. MRC-9 cells have been widely used for viral susceptibility studies, showing broad susceptibility to various viruses such as poliovirus, adenovirus, rubella, and cytomegalovirus. These cells are particularly valuable for their use in virology research and vaccine development. While their proliferation rate is slower compared to other human fibroblast strains like MRC-5, MRC-9 cells can still undergo a significant number of population doublings, with reports of up to 46 doublings.