What can you tell me about HEK-293 used to develop/test medications?

 HEK-293, short for Human Embryonic Kidney 293 cells, is a cell line commonly used in biomedical research and the development and testing of medications. These cells were originally derived from human embryonic kidney cells in the early 1970s. The "293" designation refers to the 293rd experiment in the series, which resulted in a stable cell line.

HEK-293 cells are particularly useful in research because they are easy to grow in culture, have a high rate of proliferation, and can be transfected with foreign DNA to express proteins of interest. Researchers often use these cells to produce proteins for various purposes, including the study of protein function, drug screening, and the development of biopharmaceuticals.

In drug development, HEK-293 cells are often employed to test the activity and safety of potential medications. Researchers can introduce the target protein or receptor into these cells and then assess how different compounds interact with it. This allows for the screening of large libraries of compounds to identify potential drug candidates with the desired pharmacological properties.

However, it's important to note that while HEK-293 cells are a valuable tool in drug development, they do have limitations. Some critics have raised ethical concerns about their use, as they originated from human embryonic kidney tissue. Additionally, the behavior of proteins expressed in these cells may not always accurately reflect their behavior in the human body. As a result, researchers often use multiple models, including animal studies and clinical trials, to fully evaluate the safety and efficacy of new medications.