The invention provides cells and methods of using the cells for the propagation
of replication-deficient adenoviral vectors. The cells comprise at least one heterologous
nucleic acid sequence which upon expression produces at least one non-adenoviral
gene product that complements in trans for a deficiency in at least one essential
gene function of one or more regions of an adenoviral genome so as to propagate
a replication-deficient adenoviral vector comprising an adenoviral genome deficient
in the at least one essential gene function of the one or more regions when present
in the cell.
