Cell transfection method, reasons for low transfection efficiency and its solution

Overview of common methods for cell transfection  

Transfection is a technique for introducing exogenous genes into cells. With the deepening of research on gene and protein function, transfection has become a basic method often involved in laboratory work. Transfection can be broadly classified into three types: physical mediation, chemical mediation, and biological mediation. Electroporation, microinjection, and gene guns are examples of physical introduction of genes into cells; many chemically mediated methods, such as classical calcium phosphate coprecipitation, lipofection, and a variety of cationic substances. Techniques; biologically mediated methods, with relatively primitive protoplast transfections and various viral-mediated transfection techniques now in common use.

The ideal cell transfection method should have the characteristics of high transfection efficiency and low cytotoxicity. Virus-mediated transfection technology is currently the most efficient method of transfection, and has the advantage of low cytotoxicity. However, the preparation procedure of the virus transfection method is complicated, and it is often highly selective to cell types, and it is difficult to popularize in a general laboratory. In the current non-viral-mediated transfection technology, the most efficient transfection method is a mixture of cationic non-fat substances. The transfection-mediated cell transfection has the characteristics of broad spectrum, small cytotoxicity, stable performance, and is not interfered by serum and antibiotics in the culture medium, and is more convenient than the liposome-mediated transfection method. Therefore, it has gradually occupied a mainstream position in the field of transfection technology.

It should be noted that regardless of the transfection technique used, optimal transfection results may require optimization of transfection conditions. There are many factors influencing the transfection effect, such as cell type, cell culture conditions and growth status, transfection methods, details of transfection operations, and the like. If you encounter problems, you need to consider them comprehensively.

Common causes of low transfection efficiency and their solutions