Biolistic-mediated gene expression in guinea pigs and cattle tissues in vivo

ABSTRACT

Foreign genes were introduced and expressed in vivo in guinea pigs and cattle utilizing a new hand-held device based on high-pressure helium gas to accelerate DNA-coated microparticles. Guinea pigs were used to evaluate the physical parameters to introduce and express the exogenous DNA. The best conditions were applied to conduct bombardments in cattle. The results showed a high frequency of gene expression in all the bombarded cattle. This procedure could be used to study the immune responses in cattle and in a wide variety of animals through genetic immunization.