Morphology of HEK293 Cells

HEK293 uses in protein expression

The HEK293 cell line is a permanent line established from primary embryonic human kidney, which was transformed with sheared human adenovirus type 5 DNA. The adenoviral genes expressed in this cell line allow the cells to produce very high levels of recombinant proteins. We offer several variants of the HEK293 cell line, including those adapted for high-density suspension culture in serum-free media.

Morphology of HEK293 cells

The phase contrast images below show the morphology of healthy HEK293 cells in adherent culture at 80% confluency (Figure 1) and in suspension culture (Figure 2). Note that adherent mammalian cultures should be passaged in the log phase, before they reach confluence.

Figure 1. Phase contrast images of healthy suspension-adapted HEK293 cells in stationary culture. The cells were plated at a seeding density of 5 × 104 viable cells/cm2 in 293 SFM II medium and grown as an unattached culture in a 37°C incubator with a humidified atmosphere of 5% CO2 in air. The images were obtained using 10X and 20X objectives (panels A and B, respectively) 4 days after plating.

Figure 2. Phase contrast images of healthy HEK293F cells grown in suspension. The culture was started in a shake flask at a seeding density of 2 × 105 viable cells/mL in 293 SFM II medium and grown in a 37°C incubator with a humidified atmosphere of 5% CO2 in air. 4 days after seeding, the cells were diluted 1:3, and the images were obtained using 10X and 20X objectives (panels A and B, respectively).

Resources and support

Gibco Cell Culture Basics

Learn more about cell lines, culture types, and morphology of mammalian cells. Browse our complete library of and protocols for the basics of cell culture.

Protein Expression Learning Lab

This go-to educational resource combines an immersive lab environment with an interactive content designed to guide you at the bench on the optimization strategies and protocols needed for the rapid generation of milligram-to-gram quantities of secreted or intracellular recombinant proteins for therapeutic, functional, and structural studies.

Mammalian Cell Culture Support

View solutions and protocols for the most common inquiries regarding mammalian cell culture. Get troubleshooting help and browse additional resources.