NON-VIRALLY MEDIATED GENE - TRANSFER INTO HUMAN CENTRAL-NERVOUS-SYSTEM PRECURSOR CELLS

Lipofectamine-based transfection was used as a method of choice to del iver the bacterial beta-galactosidase gene into human central nervous system (CNS) precursor cells. We achieved a transfection efficiency of 7.4%. beta-Galactosidase expressing cells were shown to display both neuronal and glial phenotypes. We also delivered the temperature sensi tive allele of SV40 Large-T antigen and obtained a high level of expre ssion of the immortalizing oncoprotein in the cells. Colonies of Large -T antigen immunoreactive cells were indeed visible 10 days after tran sfection.