[Nonviral methods of gene transfer in gene therapy]

A number of viral and non-viral vector systems have been developed nowadays for gene therapy applications. The advantages and shortcomings of the following non-viral methods of transfection are discussed in this review: calcium phosphate technique, ballistic transfection using "gene gun", electroporation, microinjection into the nucleus, receptor-mediated gene transfer, and artificial macromolecular complexes (polycations, hydrophobic polycations, polymers, cationic and neutral liposomes). Special attention is paid to methods of lipofection based on the usage of cationic and neutral liposomes as well as targeted gene delivery with the emphasis on the works which were out in author's laboratories.