Somatic gene transfer: implications for cardiovascular control

Surgical Organ Perfusion Method for Somatic Gene Transfer

The progress in recombinant DNA technology has made possible the introduction of exogenous genetic material into cells. Gene therapy aims to correct a defective gene, introduce a therapeutic exogenous gene or a counteracting gene into somatic cells without modification of the germ-cell line. The most important technical interests in the field of gene therapy research have pertained to the devel...

BRIEF REVIEWS Gene Transfer and Cardiovascular Disease

Through the introduction of foreign DNA into somatic cells, the aim of gene therapy is to correct or prevent disorders caused by the absence or malfunction of genes within a diseased individual. Expression of recombinant genes at specific sites within the vasculature can provide insights into vascular biology and potential treatments for various cardiovascular disorders. In our studies, we have...

Reprogramming somatic cells: pluripotency through gene induction and nuclear transfer

Background: The understanding of nuclear reprogramming pathways provides important contributions to applied and basic sciences such as the development of autologous cellular therapies for the treatment of numerous diseases, the improved efficiency of animal-based biotechnology or the generation of functional gametes in vitro. Strategies such as nuclear transfer and induced reprogramming have be...

Cell-surface receptors for retroviruses and implications for gene transfer.

Retroviruses can utilize a variety of cell-surface proteins for binding and entry into cells, and the cloning of several of these viral receptors has allowed refinement of models to explain retrovirus tropism. A single receptor appears to be necessary and sufficient for entry of many retroviruses, but exceptions to this simple model are accumulating. For example, HIV requires two proteins for c...

Gene transfer into human epidermis as an experimental model for somatic gene therapy.