Chapter 8 – Particle-Mediated Gene Delivery: Applications to Canine and Other Larger Animal Systems

Publisher Summary This chapter explores particle-mediated gene delivery or the gun technology and its applications to canine and other larger animal systems. Particle-mediated gene delivery was initially designed as a nonviral method for transformation of plants and was later extended to mammalian gene-transfer systems. Later, it was found that gene gun method can also be applied as a generic means for transfection of a wide variety of mammalian cells under in vivo, ex vivo, or in vitro experimental conditions. The chapter also discusses the gene gun technology as an ideal delivery mechanism for DNA vaccines. This chapter addresses the recent findings of the studies in large animal models such as dog and provides data to support the belief that dog is a new model for systematic ‘‘translational-medicine’’ studies in cancer gene-therapy strategies. The study concludes with the fact that gene gun technology is an emerging experimental tool that is yet to be fully realized for all of its potential in a variety of experimental and clinical applications in mammalian systems.