Gene Transfer to Rodent Hearts In Vivo

Altering expression of specific genes in rodent models allows the dissection of various pathways involved in various disease states. Advances in gene transfer technologies produced vectors with tissue specificity, various time courses, increasing or knocking down genes in an externally controlled fashion. To achieve this goal, appropriate vector delivery method is essential for successfully conducting experiments. In this chapter, we focus on cardiac gene transfer in rodents that can be employed for delivering both viral and nonviral vectors.