http://vml.viromed.com/services/product/mrc5.htm
MRC-5 (Lung, diploid, human)
Derived from normal lung tissue of a 14-week-old male fetus by J. P. Jacobs in September 1966 (Nature 227: 168-170, 1970), the MRC-5 cell line was established in a growth medium consisting of Earle's Basal Medium in Earle's balanced salt solution supplemented with 10% calf serum. Following initial cultivation, subcultures were prepared twice weekly at a 1:2 ratio. When the cells reached approximately the 7th population doubling, the majority of the cultures were harvested to prepare a frozen cell stock. Subsequent observations revealed that the MRC-5 cells are capable of attaining 42-46 population doublings before onset of the decline in proliferation usually experienced with human fibroblast lines. The MRC-5 cell strain (like the WI-38 cell line) is susceptible to a wide range of human viruses. "
I goofed, earlier, btw.
The vaccine could be grown in rabbit kidney cell cultures, not monkey kidney.
http://www.fda.gov/cber/summaries/120600bio05MM.htm
Cell Culture Smallpox Vaccine
Virus Strain
Historical efficacy (NYCBH, Lister, EM-65, Temple of Heaven)
Development of a vaccinia virus seed system
Cell Substrate
Historical experience (CAM, primary rabbit kidney)
Qualified tissue culture cell line (CEF, MRC-5)
Smallpox Vaccine Development
Cell culture vaccinia (JVAP)
Tissue culture vaccine is being developed to replace Wyeth Dryvaxâ
Derived from licensed Connaught smallpox vaccine strain Conn-Master 17633 (NYCBH)
Virus will be prepared in MRC-5 cells