The term reverse transfection comes from the invention and development of a microarray-driven gene expression system by Junald Ziauddin and David M. Sabatini in 2001. As DNA are printed on a glass slide for transfection process to occur before the addition of adherent cells, the order of addition of DNA and adherent cells is a reverse of that of conventional transfection. Hence the word “reverse” is used.
Reverse Transfection Process
Preparation of transfection mix for printing onto a slide
DNA-gelatin mixture can be used for printing onto a slide: Gelatin powder is first dissolved in sterile MilliQ water to form 0.2% gelatin solution. Purified DNA plasmid is then mixed with gelatin solution and the final gelatin concentration is kept greater than 0.17%. Besides the use of gelatin, atelocollagen and fibronetin are also successful transfection vectors for introducing foreign DNA into the cell nucleus.