HEK

Hek is a term with multiple meanings across different domains. In scientific contexts, the uppercase acronym HEK is common for human embryonic kidney cells, a widely used mammalian cell line in molecular biology. The lowercase form hek has no standard biological meaning.

In biology, HEK cells are derived from human fetal kidney tissue and were transformed to facilitate easy growth and genetic manipulation. The most famous derivative, HEK293, was created in the 1970s by transforming embryonic kidney cells with adenovirus DNA. HEK cells are favored for transfection experiments and heterologous protein expression because they support efficient plasmid uptake and proper protein processing. They are used to study receptor signaling, membrane proteins, and gene function. Typical culture conditions include medium such as DMEM with 10% fetal bovine serum and antibiotics, maintained at 37°C in a CO2 incubator. While convenient, HEK cells do not represent normal kidney physiology and researchers select lines carefully depending on experimental goals. Ethical and regulatory considerations surround the use of human-derived cells.

Outside biology, hek or HEK can appear as a personal name or surname in various cultures, or as an acronym in non-scientific contexts. Without context, its meaning is not fixed. The term may also occur in transliteration or brand names.