Transfection alters the genetic makeup of eukaryotic cells by introducing foreign nucleic acids, including DNA, RNA, and small noncoding RNAs such as siRNA, shRNA, and miRNA. Scientists use transfection techniques to advance cellular research and enhance drug discovery by enabling researchers to characterize cellular processes and study molecular disease mechanisms.1–3
Planning a Successful Transfection
Researchers deliver transfected nucleic acids as oligonucleotides or in a viral or plasmid vector, which carries the genetic material into the host cells. Transfection can be stable or transient. Stable transfection results in sustained, long-term expression, whereas expression will eventually be lost after transient transfection as host cells replicate. Scientists apply stable transfection for long-term and large-scale genetic and pharmacology studies. Transient transfection is useful for short-term studies, such as investigating the effects of gene knock-in or knock-down.2
When planning transfection experiments, researchers must first select a delivery method to transfer nucleic acids into target cells. ...
