Tail vein injection remains a foundational technique for achieving systemic delivery of nucleic acids in rat models, enabling widespread biodistribution of plasmid DNA, siRNA, shRNA, and mRNA for research in gene therapy, disease modeling, and pharmacogenomics. The success of tail vein injection depends heavily on technical execution, solution formulation, and volume-to-weight ratio, as well as…
Achieving efficient in vivo RNA interference (RNAi) within the rat kidney cortex requires a combination of precise delivery techniques, specialized formulation chemistry, and organ-targeted biodistribution strategies. The kidney poses several barriers to siRNA or shRNA delivery, including glomerular filtration, rapid systemic clearance, and limited endocytosis by renal epithelial cells. The goal of RNAi in this…
The transfection of rat dendritic cells (DCs) represents a pivotal tool in the development of cancer vaccines, enabling the presentation of tumor antigens to initiate potent cytotoxic T cell responses. Rat DCs, like their human and murine counterparts, are professional antigen-presenting cells capable of orchestrating adaptive immune responses when loaded with exogenous nucleic acids encoding…
Delivering mRNA to the pulmonary epithelium of rats using nonviral nanoparticles is a cutting-edge approach for studying gene expression in the respiratory tract and developing therapies for pulmonary diseases. Unlike viral vectors, which can provoke immune responses and integration-related risks, nonviral systems such as lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), polymeric nanoparticles, and hybrid nanocarriers offer a safer…
The generation of genetically modified rats through CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing has been significantly advanced by the development of efficient delivery techniques targeting one-cell zygotes. The two principal methods employed for the introduction of CRISPR/Cas9 components—microinjection and electroporation—each offer distinct advantages and trade-offs in terms of editing efficiency, technical complexity, and embryo viability. Microinjection involves the…
siRNA-mediated gene knockdown in rat neural stem cells (NSCs) presents unique challenges due to the complexity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), the fragile nature of NSCs, and the need for precise targeting of specific genes within the central nervous system (CNS). Successful delivery of siRNA to NSCs in vivo generally requires advanced methods to bypass…
Electroporation is a powerful physical method for enhancing the intracellular delivery of nucleic acids, particularly in tissues such as skeletal muscle, where direct injection of naked DNA often results in poor uptake. In vivo electroporation in rats requires careful control of multiple parameters, including electrode configuration, applied voltage, pulse duration, and the number of pulses….
Lipid-based transfection remains one of the most widely used non-viral techniques for delivering nucleic acids into primary cells, including rat hepatocytes. Optimizing this method for primary liver cells is critical due to the inherently low transfection efficiency and high sensitivity of hepatocytes to cytotoxic reagents. Key parameters influencing success include the lipid-to-DNA or lipid-to-RNA ratio,…
Transfection is a fundamental tool in small animal research, enabling the introduction of nucleic acids into cells and tissues for gene expression studies, functional genomics, and therapeutic development. Achieving high transfection efficiency is critical for experimental reproducibility and translational relevance, yet it remains challenging due to multiple biological and technical barriers. Factors influencing transfection efficiency…
Calcium phosphate transfection is one of the earliest and most widely used methods for introducing nucleic acids into cells. While its effectiveness in vitro is well documented, its potential for in vivo transfection in small animal models is still being explored. Efficient gene delivery in small animals is essential for studying gene function, disease modeling,…
