Expert view: How automation can improve cell stability and productivity in cell line development

 To find cells that harbour all these desirable traits, large numbers must be screened. 

Simple transfection of transgenes into cell lines is not enough to produce highly productive clones for protein production, so gene amplification using selection markers is commonly carried out. Engineering of the host cell results in genetic heterogeneity, which can be mitigated by single cell subcloning. Although subcloning reduces a large portion of the variation, cell productivity and growth rate can still vary dramatically. The expensive metabolic requirements of high-producing clones makes them slower to grow than the low-producing cells.