Gene delivery systems biological barriers

No matter what their composition, such synthetic gene delivery systems also meet various biological barriers to efficient cellular gene delivery. Viral vector-based systems are far less prone to such problems, as the viral carrier has evolved in nature to overcome such obstacles. Obstacles relate to ... 

Gene delivery into eukaryotic cells is commonly performed for research purposes as well as in gene therapy procedures. Cellular membranes do not spontaneously take up ectopic nucleic acid because of the polar nature of the phospholipid bilayer [1] which functions as a natural barrier that prevents entry of most water-soluble molecules such as nucleic acids. In studies of gene or protein function and regulation, manipulation of the intracellular expression level is a fundamental approach. For this reason, multiple methods for delivery of nucleic acids through membranes using chemical, physical, or biological systems have been established in the last 40 years. 

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