Bioprotocols

Transfection is the process of introducing nucleic acids into cells by non-viral methods . The term transformation is preferred to describe non-viral DNA transfer in bacteria and non-animal eukaryotic cells such as fungi, algaeplants. and

Transfection of animal cells typically involves opening transient pores or 'holes' in the cell plasma membrane, to allow the uptake of material. Genetic material (such as supercoiled plasmid DNA or siRNA constructs), or even proteins such as antibodies, may be transfected. In addition to electroporation, transfection can be carried out by mixing a cationic lipid with the material to produce liposomes, which fuse with the cell plasma membrane and deposit their cargo inside.

The original meaning of transfection was 'infection by transformation', i.e. introduction of DNA (or RNA) from an eukaryote virus or bacteriophage into cells, resulting in an infection. Because the term transformation had another sense in animal cell biology (a genetic change allowing long-term propagation in culture, or acquisition of properties typical of cancer cells), the term transfection acquired, for animal cells, its present meaning of a change in cell properties caused by introduction of DNA.

Gene Transfection Protocols: