Transfection is the process of deliberately introducing nucleic
acids into cells. The term is used notably for non-viral methods
in eukaryotic cells. It may also refer to other methods and cell
types, although other terms are preferred: "transformation" is
more often used to describe non-viral DNA transfer in bacteria,
non-animal eukaryotic cells and plant cells – a distinctive
sense of transformation refers to spontaneous genetic
modifications (mutations to cancerous cells (carcinogenesis), or
under stress (UV irradiation)). Transduction is often used to
describe virus-mediated DNA transfer. The word transfection is a
blend of trans- and infection. Transfection of animal cells
typically involves opening transient pores or "holes" in the
cell membrane, to allow the uptake of material. Transfection can
be carried out using calcium phosphate, by electroporation, or
by mixing a cationic lipid with the material to produce
liposomes, which fuse with the cell membrane and deposit their
cargo inside. Transfection ca