Viral Vectors For Gene Therapy In A Nutshell: AAVs, Lentivirus, Adenovirus And Retrovirus

To survive, viruses introduce genetic material into host cells in order to replicate, making them fantastic resources for gene therapy. The range of viral vectors is extensive and includes the delivery of vectors developed for both short-term and permanent long-term gene expression. Within this family of vectors Adeno-associated vectors (AAV) are the most promising, due to their transient nature, ability to transduce dividing and non-dividing cells, as well as their low immunogenic disposition.

In this article we review the four main types of viral vectors utilized for gene therapy applications and chemical transfection reagents options for efficient production of viral vectors at all scales.