Gene delivery to mesenchymal stem cells

Successful gene therapy technology relies on the delivery of the therapeutic product into appropriate target cells. Gene delivery to mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has been proposed as a mechanism to promote the augmentation of tissue-engineered replacement systems. In particular, MSCs are attractive targets for gene delivery systems, because they can differentiate, in response to various molecular signals, into many types of committed cells. Introduction of transgene of interest into autologous stem cell types poses an attractive cell-based delivery strategy. MSCs divide rapidly and, because of their high amphotropic receptor levels, are readily transducible with integrating vectors and maintain transgene expression in vitro and in vivo without affecting multipotentiality. The unique biology of MSCs predetermines them to become valuable cytoreagents for gene therapy approaches in future. This chapter describes methods and associated materials for transducing mesenchymal stem cells with a desired nucleic acid.