Primary Cell Transfection Reagents

Primary cell transfection reagents are optimized formulations designed to overcome the challenges of DNA and RNA delivery into primary cells. While immortalized cell lines traditionally have served as the common targets of transfection, primary cells are often preferred as they more closely resemble the in-vivo nature of tissues. However, with the variability of primary cell types, there are challenges for efficient nucleic acid delivery. A given cell type may be amenable to one method but not another, and there is a variety to choose from, such as viral vector, polymer, liposomal and non-liposomal lipids, electroporation, and even magnetic particles. Many transfection reagents have been demonstrated to successfully transfect a range of primary cells such as neurons, HUVECs, and melanoma cells, among other difficult-to-transfect cells.