Mark A. Findeis and a panel of active researchers present their best methods not only for preparing, handling, and characterizing gene delivery agents, but also for gene delivery. To help those preparing and characterizing gene transfer agents, the contributors examine a broad range of compounds that bind with DNA to form the compact condensed phases that facilitate cellular delivery-among them peptide conjugates, synthetic polymers, and lipids. They also outline specific approaches to gene transfer in vivo, including direct delivery by intratumoral injection and indirect delivery by cell-specific targeting of DNA complexes, and discuss in detail many spectroscopic techniques for characterizing nonviral gene delivery agents.

Synthesis of Polyampholyte Comb-Type Copolymers Consisting of a Poly(l-lysine) Backbone and Hyaluronic Acid Side Chains for DNA Carrier
Atsushi Maruyama and Yoshiyuki Takei

Cationic _-Helical Peptides for Gene Delivery into Cells
Takuro Niidome and Haruhiko Aoyagi

Supramolecular Self-Assembly of Poly(ethylene glycol)-Block-Poly (l-lysine) Dendrimer with Plasmid DNA
Joon Sig Choi and Jong Sang Park

Water-Soluble Cationic Methacrylate Polymers for Nonviral Gene Delivery
Gert W. Bos, Daan J. A. Crommelin, and Wim E. Hennink

Stabilization of Polycation-DNA Complexes by Surface Modification with Hydrophilic Polymers
David Oupicky, Martin L. Read, and Thierry Bettinger

Use of Disulfide Cationic Lipids in Plasmid DNA Delivery
Fuxing Tang and Jeffrey A. Hughes

Interactions of Lipid-Oligonucleotide Conjugates with Low-Density Lipoprotein
Erik T. Rump, Erik A. L. Biessen, Theo J. C. van Berkel, and Martin K. Bijsterbosch

Coupling of Nuclear Localization Signals to Plasmid DNA
Carole Neves, Daniel Scherman, and Pierre Wils

Progress Toward a Synthetic Virus: A Multicomponent System for Liver-Directed DNA Delivery
Bo-Hua Zhong, George Y. Wu, and Catherine H. Wu

Characterization of Polyampholyte Comb-Type Copolymer DNA Carriers
Yoshiyuki Takei, Atsushi Maruyama, Toshihiro Akaike, and Nobuhiro Sato

Methods for Studying the Formation of Polycation-DNA Complexes and Properties Useful for Gene Delivery
Martin L. Read, Thierry Bettinger, and David Oupicky

Characterization of DNA Condensates by Atomic Force Microscopy
Ye Fang and Jan H. Hoh

Rapid and Systematic Transfer and Recovery of Large BACs/PACs into Mammalian Cells by HAEC Retrofitting
Rona S. Scott and Jean-Michel H. Vos

Systemic Delivery of Therapeutic Proteins by Intramuscular Injection of Plasmid DNA
Holly M. Hortonand Suezanne E. Parker

Local Delivery of Therapeutic Proteins by Intratumoral Injection of Plasmid DNA-Lipid Complexes
Holly M. Horton and Suezanne E. Parker

Nonviral DNA Delivery from Polymeric Systems
Lonnie D. Shea and David J. Mooney

Promotion of Duplex and Triplex DNA Formation by Polycation Comb-Type Copolymers
Hidetaka Torigoe and Atsushi Maruyama

Lyophilization of Nonviral Gene Delivery Systems
S. Dean Allison and Thomas J. Anchordoquy

Ultraviolet Absorption and Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy of Nonviral Gene Delivery Complexes
Chad S. Braun, Lisa A. Kueltzo, and C. Russell Middaugh

Characterization of Synthetic Gene Delivery Vectors by Infrared Spectroscopy
Sirirat Choosakoonkriang, Christopher M. Wiethoff, Lisa A. Kueltzo, and C. Russell Middaugh

Characterization of Cationic Vector-Based Gene Delivery Vehicles Using Isothermal Titration and Differential Scanning Calorimetry
Brian A. Lobo, Sheila A. Rogers, Christopher M. Wiethoff, Sirirat Choosakoonkriang, Susan Bogdanowich-Knipp, and C. Russell Middaugh

Light-Scattering Techniques for Characterization of Synthetic Gene Therapy Vectors
Christopher M. Wiethoff and C. Russell Middaugh

Renal Gene Therapy
Yeong-Hau H. Lien and Li-Wen Lai