Novel insect cell line

A process for making a cell line, comprising the steps of:

• (a) weaning at least one cell from serum dependency to growth in a substantially serum-free medium;
• the weaning comprises:
• (1) plating a plurality of cells in a plurality of wells containing serum-containing media, wherein a single cell is plated in each well;
• (2) identifying a well containing replicating cells;
• (3) culturing the replicating cells into replica-plating wells;
• (4) changing the medium in each identified well containing replicating cells;
• (5) increasing the proportion of serum-free medium as compared to serum-containing medium;
• (6) repeating the identifying and medium changing steps until the medium in each well comprises substantially serum-free medium;
• (7) harvesting the cells from each well containing the substantially serum-free-medium;
• wherein if the harvested cells reach a predetermined density they are designated as the serum-weaned cells;
• and
• (8) culturing the serum-weaned cells;
• (b) selecting at least one of the serum-weaned cells capable of growth as a single-cell suspension in the substantially serum-free medium;
• and
• (c) passaging at least one selected cell to establish the cell line.