Production, purification and characterization of adeno-associated vectors

The use of recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors (rAAVs) as gene transfer tools has increased dramatically during the past last several years, establishing AAV as the vector of choice for many therapeutic applications. With the steady advance of the field toward clinical studies, and the isolation and engineering of several novel AAV serotypes, efficient, scalable, and versatile production and purification methods are continuously under development. Here, we review the current state of the art in the various production and purification methods for rAAVs. Classical parameters and methodologies to characterize rAAV stocks will be also discussed.