RNAi Transfection resource

Transfection is the introduction of foreign molecules and genetic material such as DNA or RNA into cultured cells. Transfection process typically involves opening transient "holes" in the cellular membrane to allow the entry of extracellular molecules, such as plasmid DNA, protein, small interferring RNA (siRNA), messenger RNA (mRNA), and microRNA(miRNA).

Transient transfection refer to introduction of foreign molecules inside the cell without changing it genomic DNA (transient expression). Stable transfection allows incorporation of plasmid DNA into genome of the cell (stable expression).

There are various cell transfection methods, including one of the first ones is transfection by calcium phosphate, originally discovered by S. Bacchetti and F. L. Graham in 1977. Other method include electroporation, heat shock, and proprietary transfection reagents from manufacturers such as Altogen Biosystems.

SiRNA transfection is always a transient event. Maximal effect is typically achieved 48-72 hours after transfection and lasts for 24-96 hours, depending on the efficiency of transfection. Typical transfection protocol includes the procedure of plating the cells, creating transfection complexes by mixing transfection agent with the DNA or RNA, and addition of transfection mixture to the growth medium with the cells.

Transfection Links:

WikiPedia: What is transfection?

Cell-type specific transfection reagents

Optimized cell-specific siRNA transfection reagents:
CHO Transfection Reagent (hamster ovary epithelial cells)
HepG2 Transfection Reagent (human hepatocellular carcinoma cells)
HMEC Reagent (human mammary epithelial cancer cells)
MCF-7 Transfection Reagent (human breast cancer cells)
HT-29 Transfection Reagent (human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells)
HTB Transfection Reagent (human osteosarcoma cells)
HuH-7 Transfection Reagent (human hepatoma cells)
HUVEC Transfection Reagent (umbilical vein endothelial cells)
MDA-MB Transfection Reagent (breast cancer cells)
MEF Transfection Reagent (murine embryonic fibroblast cells)
MES Transfection Reagent (mouse embryonic stem cells)
MM39 Transfection Reagent (human tracheal gland cells)
MRC-5 Transfection Reagent (human diploid fibroblast cells)
NIH3T3 Transfection Reagent (mouse fibroblast cells)
NRK Transfection Reagent (normal rat kidney epithelial cells)
SHEP Transfection Reagent (human neuroblastoma cells)
SKNAS Transfection Reagent (bone marrow neuroblastoma cells)
SK-N-MC Transfection Reagent (neuroblastoma cells)
SW-13 Transfection Reagent (human adrenocortical carcinoma cells)
U87 Transfection Reagent (glioblastoma cells)
VERO Transfection Reagent (African green monkey kidney cells)