[PP]

Fetal tissue is used in Vaccines as MRC-5 and WI-38

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.[1][2] 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.[2][3][4]

Applications

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

WI-38 is a diploid human cell strain composed of fibroblasts derived from lung tissue of a 3-months gestation female fetus.[1][2] The cell strain, isolated by Leonard Hayflick in the 1960s,[3] has been used extensively in scientific research, with applications ranging from developing important theories in molecular biology and aging to the production of most human virus vaccines.[4] The contributions from this cell strain towards human virus vaccine production have been credited with avoiding disease in, or saving the lives of, billions of people.[5][6]