BRIEF OVERVIEW OF CONTROL OF GENETIC EXPRESSION BY ANTISENSE OLIGONUCLEOTIDES AND IN-VIVO APPLICATIONS - PROSPECTS FOR NEUROBIOLOGY

Over the past several years, the use of synthetic oligonucleotides and functional analogs thereof as a possibly general means of controlling genetic expression has received widespread attention. Following a bri ef overview of some of the basic principles and strategies for this ap proach, attention is focused here on summarizing some recent reports o f in vitro and, in particular, in vivo investigations in various anima l models using phosphorothioate analogs of 2'-deoxyoligo-nucleotides. In view of these findings, which include studies related to neurobiolo gy, this field should find significant utility in applications of the antisense method for controlling genetic expression.