这个细胞株最早见于如下文献:
THE USE OF A LINE OF HAMSTER KIDNEY CELLS (BHK 21) FOR GROWTH OF ARTHROPOD-BORNE VIRUSES.
RF SELLERS
Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg,Nov 1963; 57:433-7.
其中提到“Syrian hamster kidney BHK-21 is a subclone (clone 13) of the parental line established from the kidneys of five unsexed,one-day-old hamsters in 1961; cells can be used for virus replication studies confirmed as hamster with IEF of AST,LDH,MDH,MPI,NP,PEP B”.