2003 Volume 36 Issue 4 Pages 317-323
Expression of genes followed by the examination of the localization of their products by histochemical methods is one of important and powerful approaches to elucidate the role of genes of interest. We show here a simple and versatile electroporation method for the introduction of plasmids into cells cultured on coverslips for histochemical examination. Electroporation apparatus was assembled using a 35-mm plastic dish and aluminum wire. The apparatus was placed over the coverslip and plasmid DNA was applied onto it. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) was used as a reporter of transfection. Under the appropriate settings of voltage, duration, and pulse numbers, successful transfection was easily achieved in 3T3-L1 fibroblasts, HeLa cells, Cos7 cells, and MDCK cells. The electroporation method described here is simple, easy, rapid, and economical, and may be best suited for the screening of many genes for their histochemical examination.
