Rhesus Monkey Kidney Epithelial Cells (LLC-MK2 Line)

The LLC-MK2 cell line was established from a pooled cell suspension prepared from the kidney tissue of six adult rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatto) in the mid-1950s. The cells exhibit epithelial morphology and produce the protease plasminogen activator that typically initiates the process of fibrinolysis by converting plasminogen to plasmin. LLC-MK2 cells have been utilized in the production of mumps vaccines and in the isolation of parainfluenza viruses, and are communly used as transfection hosts. The line demonstrates susceptibility to polioviruses 1, 2, and 3.