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Updated: Aug 25, 2026
RNA Interference in Aquatic Beetles as a Powerful Tool for Manipulating Gene Expression at Specific Developmental Time Points
Published on: May 29, 2020
Towards in vivo application of RNA interference - new toys, old problems
Sascha Rutz1, Alexander Scheffold
1Deutsches Rheuma-Forschungszentrum Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Abstract:
RNA interference (RNAi) is the sequence-specific degradation of mRNA by short double-stranded RNA molecules. The technology, introduced only 5 years ago, has stimulated many fantasies regarding the future of functional gene analysis and gene therapy. Given its ease of application, its high efficiency and remarkable specificity, RNAi holds great promise for broad in vitro and in vivo application in all areas of biomedicine. Despite its potential, the major obstacle to the use of RNAi (as for all previous gene silencing approaches) is the need for efficient and sustained delivery of small interfering RNA into primary mammalian cells, and specific targeting of particular cell types in vivo.
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