V-79

V-79 cells (also known as V79 or V79-4 cells) are a fibroblast-like Chinese hamster cell line developed from lung fibroblasts of the Chinese hamster Cricetulus griseus. Since their development, V-79 cells have been one of the most commonly used mammalian cell lines for genetic toxicology and radiobiology assays. The cell line has been shown to have a stable karyotype and proliferate quickly with high plating efficiency.

In culture, V-79 cells are an adherent monolayer cell line with rapid doubling time and high clonogenic survival. These cells are used for mutation assays, DNA damage assays, and cell survival assays. Because of their low endogenous metabolic enzyme activity, induction of mutation and DNA damage by test compounds can be easily evaluated either directly or after incubation with an exogenous metabolic activation system like liver S9 fractions. For these reasons, V-79 cells have been commonly used for HPRT gene mutation assays, chromosomal aberration assays, and micronucleus assays.

V-79 cells have been extensively used in research of radiation biology studies along with oxidative stress induction and DNA repair mechanisms. Because of their consistent responses to chemicals and radiation, easy culturability, and stability over extended periods of time, V-79 cells continue to be a preferred in vitro model system for testing cytotoxicity and mutagenicity as well as determining cellular responses to environmental chemicals and therapeutics.