Insect Cell Culture

Abstract Insect cell cultures are widely used in studies on insect cell physiology, developmental biology and microbial pathology. In particular, insect cell culture is an indispensable tool for the study of insect viruses. The first continuously growing insect cell cultures were established from lepidopteran insects around 1960. Since then, more than 600 insect cell lines have been described from over 100 insect species, the majority from lepidopteran (moths) and dipteran (flies and mosquitoes) insects. Among these, the Drosophila S2, the Spodoptera frugiperda Sf9 and Trichoplusia ni High Five cell lines are used most widely. The latter two are susceptible to the baculovirus Autographa californica multiple capsid nucleopolyhedrovirus and are used for the expression of foreign genes, for example, for the production of subunit vaccines, to make proteins for functional analyses or crystallography and to produce gene delivery vectors for mammalian cells. Key Concepts: Insect cell cultures are a crucial tool in studying the pathology of insect viruses and human viruses vectored by insects. Insect cells can be grown serum free, at high density and in suspension cultures, allowing the application of bioreactors. Insect cell cultures are indispensable for the baculovirus expression system. Insect cells are important for the production of subunit vaccines. Insect cells are increasingly important to produce human vaccines and gene delivery vectors.