page_title: Gene delivery
section_title: Electroporation
hierarchical_section_title: Gene delivery / Methods / Physical / Electroporation
caption_attribution_description: English: Electroporator with square wave and exponential decay waveforms for in vitro, in vivo, adherent cell and 96 well electroporation applications. Manufactured by BTX Harvard Apparatus, Holliston MA USA.
context_page_description: Gene delivery is the process of introducing foreign genetic material, such as DNA or RNA, into host cells. Genetic material must reach the nucleus of the host cell to induce gene expression. Successful gene delivery requires the foreign genetic material to remain stable within the host cell and can either integrate into the genome or replicate independently of it. This requires foreign DNA to be synthesized as part of a vector, which is designed to enter the desired host cell and deliver the transgene to that cell's genome. Vectors utilized as the method for gene delivery can be divided into two categories, recombinant viruses and synthetic vectors.
  In complex multicellular eukaryotes, if the transgene is incorporated into the host's germline cells, the resulting host cell can pass the transgene to its progeny. If the transgene is incorporated into somatic cells, the transgene will stay with the somatic cell line, and thus its host organism.
  Gene delivery is a necessary step in gene therapy for the introduction or silencing of a gene to promote a therapeutic outcome in patients and also has applications in the genetic modification of crops.
context_section_description: Electroporation is a method of promoting competence.  Cells are briefly shocked with an electric field of 10-20 kV/cm, which is thought to create holes in the cell membrane through which the plasmid DNA may enter.  After the electric shock, the holes are rapidly closed by the cell's membrane-repair mechanisms.
caption: Electroporators can be used to make the cell membrane permeable to DNA
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