In vivo gene transfer into the periventricular region by electroporation

Gene transfer by electroporation was attempted in the normal rat brain. The reporter gene pEGFP-C1 (25 micrograms/5 microliters) was injected into the striatum of young adult rats and various square electrical impulses were applied using a pair of electrodes implanted in the striatum. The brains were removed and sliced after 5 days. Histological examination revealed that the high energy impulses caused extensive tissue damage whereas lower energy impulses (200-400 mJ) resulted in the transfection of more than 300 cells per brain, which were widely distributed in the subependymal region of the lateral ventricle and extended long processes into the striatum.