MRC-5

MRC-5 (Medical Research Council cell strain 5) is a diploid human cell culture line composed of fibroblasts derived from lung tissue of a 14 week old aborted caucasian male fetus. The cell line was isolated by J.P. Jacobs and colleagues in September 1966 from the 7th population doubling of the original strain, and MRC-5 cells themselves are known to reach senescence in around 45 population doublings. MRC-5 (Medical Research Council cell strain 5) is a diploid human cell culture line composed of fibroblasts derived from lung tissue of a 14 week old aborted caucasian male fetus. The cell line was isolated by J.P. Jacobs and colleagues in September 1966 from the 7th population doubling of the original strain, and MRC-5 cells themselves are known to reach senescence in around 45 population doublings. MRC-5 cells are used to produce several vaccines including MMR, Varicella and Polio. Infected MRC-5 cells secrete the virus, and can be cultured in large volumes suitable for commercial production.